A 24-hour strike in Germany brought the country to a standstill on Monday when workers at airports, ports, railways, buses and subways were out.

What happened: Germany on Monday saw one of the biggest strikes in decades amid calls for higher wages to help with rising living costs, Reuters reported.

German Minister of the Interior Nancy Faser was hoping to reach an agreement between the government and two of the country’s largest unions this week.

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“Many public sector workers are suffering from high energy prices and high inflation,” she said on Monday, adding: “That’s why it’s our job to find a good deal.”

There have been many smaller strikes by other public servants over the problem, but Monday’s “mega-strike” – as it was dubbed by local media – affected local and regional trains operated by the national railway company.

The strike grounded mass transit services, including streetcars and buses, in seven states. Thousands of flights have been canceled across the country, including those at two of the largest airports, Munich and Frankfurt.

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