Niedersachsen: Major Strike Disrupts Clinics, Ports & Transport | NDR

Hannover and Bremen Brace for Public Sector Strike

Niedersachsen and Bremen are facing widespread disruption today, February 10, 2026, as the ver.di union stages a large-scale strike impacting public services. The action, the first of its kind in the current labor dispute, affects hospitals, ports, road maintenance, and public transportation.

Ver.di has called on all employees covered by the Länder collective bargaining agreement to participate in the work stoppage. A union spokesperson stated that Here’s the first time all sectors will be striking simultaneously. Among those affected are university hospitals, the port operator NPorts, and state road construction administrations.

Public Transportation: Tunnel and Bridge Closures

Commuters should expect significant delays and closures. According to a ver.di spokesperson, several bridges and tunnels will be closed throughout the day, from 00:00 to 24:00. The closures include:

• Tunnel Bovenden (Landkreis Göttingen)
• Butterbergtunnel, Osterode (Landkreis Göttingen)
• Hasselkopftunnel, Braunlage (Landkreis Goslar)
• Jann-Berghaus-Brücke, B 436 in Leer – excluding pedestrians and cyclists
• Schwingeklappbrücke, Stade
• Wesertunnel, Wesermarsch and Cuxhaven districts: one lane in the direction of the A27 will be closed, with speed limits reduced to 60 kilometers per hour in both directions.

Winter Road Maintenance Disrupted

Winter road maintenance services are also impacted, particularly in northeast Niedersachsen. The state authority for road construction and traffic reports that the districts of Lüneburg, Lüchow-Dannenberg, Harburg, and Uelzen are affected. While external companies have been contracted to provide winter road maintenance, authorities warn that services may be slower than usual.

Rallies Planned in Hannover and Bremen

The strike is not limited to work stoppages. Other unions are joining the action, with the Police Union, the Education and Science Union, and IG Bau also calling on their members to participate in warning strikes. A rally is scheduled in Hannover at 10:00 on the Schützenplatz, followed by speeches in front of the Lower Saxony State Parliament at 11:30. In Bremen, a rally is planned for 11:45 in front of the Finance Senator’s office.

Hospitals and University Clinics Affected

The strike extends to the state’s university hospitals in Hannover and Göttingen. Both the Medical School Hannover (MHH) and the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) have announced they will be affected. However, both institutions have assured the public that emergency patients will continue to receive appropriate care.

Demands in the Labor Dispute

The current round of negotiations centers on ver.di’s demands for a 7 percent increase in wages, or a minimum increase of 300 euros, for the more than 280,000 public sector employees in Niedersachsen and Bremen. The states have previously deemed these demands excessive, citing budgetary constraints.

Previous Disruptions

This is not the first time Niedersachsen has experienced disruptions due to the ongoing labor dispute. Last week saw warning strikes in the Weser-Ems region, leading to disruptions in road traffic, winter road maintenance, and port operations in Emden, Cuxhaven, and Stade. Employees at the university clinics in Göttingen and Hannover also participated in previous warning strikes.

Understanding Warning Strikes

According to the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), warning strikes are typically short-term work stoppages, lasting a few hours or shifts, and can be repeated. The purpose is to mobilize members and demonstrate a willingness to fight for their demands. While legally there is no distinction between a warning strike and a full strike according to the Federal Labor Court (BAG), a full strike requires a formal declaration that negotiations have failed and a vote in favor of striking by union members.