German transport policy maker Christoph Ploß (CDU) sharply criticized Verdi’s warning strikes on public transport scheduled for Bundesliga matchdays.
“Leaving hundreds of thousands of football fans stranded on a matchday is simply unacceptable” he told the “Rheinische Post” (Saturday edition). “During Bundesliga weekends there should be no bus or rail strikes”.

Ploß, a member of the Bundestag and the federal government’s tourism coordinator, added that football brings people from all walks of life together and that the unions should not use the fans’ loyalty to further their demands.

He further warned that the ongoing strikes not only irritate citizens en masse but also increasingly weigh on Germany’s economy.