German train drivers' union GDL announced its ninth strike in an ongoing dispute with railway operator Deutsche Bahn which will stop freight trains from Tuesday and passenger trains from Wednesday - with no date given for the strike to end. GDL will announce the end of the strike with 48 hours' notice, raising the prospect of even longer disruption than the seven-day strike earlier this month which was the longest in the history of Deutsche Bahn. The dispute over pay, working conditions and the power of the union itself has caused major disruption in a country where about 5.5 million people travel by train every day and one-fifth of freight - some 620,000 tonnes a day - is hauled by rail.