Germany’s service sector labour union Verdi has called on its 2 million members to join the global Fridays for Future climate strike on 20 September. “We can only protect the climate together,” the union tweeted. Union head Frank Bsirske told Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung his union would not call for an official general strike, but encouraged its members to join. “Those who can should clock out and join in. I will be there,” union head Frank Bsirske told the newspaper. “Politics must act on climate protection much more decisively.”

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who triggered the Fridays for Future movement, retweeted Verdi’s announcement with the commentary “This is leadership. Who will follow? The world is watching.”

The Fridays for Future student movement calls for a global climate strike on 20 September, and plans protests in more than 100 German towns and cities. The strike takes place on a decisive day for Germany’s climate policy - Chancellor Angela Merkel’s so-called climate cabinet convenes that day to take far-reaching decisions.