Ramelow named mediator in Lower Saxony public transport wage dispute

Bodo Ramelow, former Minister-President of Thuringia, has been appointed as the mediator to resolve the ongoing wage dispute in Lower Saxony's public transport sector. The Verdi union announced on June 11, 2026, that Ramelow, now a Vice President of the Bundestag, will lead their side of the mediation.

Verdi negotiator Marian Drews expressed confidence in Ramelow's ability to find solutions in challenging wage conflicts. The union is demanding shorter working hours, improved shift work conditions, more vacation days, and higher weekend pay. The employers' association, the Lower Saxony Municipal Employers' Association (KAV), has appointed Stephan Rolfes from Osnabrück as their mediator. KAV chief executive Michael Bosse-Arbogast highlighted Rolfes's experience as a former board member of Stadtwerke Osnabrück, where he was responsible for public transport, stating he can effectively assess the situation of municipal transport companies.

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The Left-wing politician brings the experience of coming to good solutions in difficult and challenging wage conflicts.

The KAV has previously offered an additional vacation day starting in 2027 and proposed converting two existing paid days off into additional vacation days, bringing the total to 33 days. The wage dispute has already led to warning strikes in several cities, including Hanover, Braunschweig, Wolfsburg, Göttingen, and Osnabrück. Negotiations have been ongoing since mid-February for ten municipal transport companies employing 4,550 workers. The location and timing of the mediation talks will remain confidential, and a period of industrial peace is in effect during the proceedings.

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As a mediator, he can assess the situation of the state's municipal public transport companies very well.