Bus drivers across Austria staged nationwide warning strikes on Thursday morning after talks over their 2025 collective agreement failed to make progress.

Around 12,000 drivers from private bus companies took part in the action, which took place at more than 80 locations between 4am and 6am.

The transport union, vida, said it had deliberately chosen an early time slot to minimise disruption to school transport.

The strike affected several major operators, including ÖBB Postbus, Blaguss, Dr. Richard, sabtours and Gschwindl. The drivers also received backing from climate activist groups Fridays For Future and System Change Not Climate Change.

The vida union accused employers of making “marginal improvement proposals” that would require drivers to fund the changes themselves through cuts elsewhere, describing the offer as a “sham package.”

Employers, however, insist they have already made concessions and are offering a wage increase in line with rolling inflation, set at 3.5%.

The next round of negotiations is scheduled for 5 March.