BERLIN   -  Ger­man union Verdi called a public transport strike across Europe’s biggest economy on Friday, in an escalating dispute over pay and working condi­tions. More than 90,000 workers at over 132 lo­cal companies operating buses, trams and under­ground services are ex­pected to join the walk­out. Long-distance and regional trains operated by Deutsche Bahn, which went on strike last week, will not be affected. Fri­day’s walkout is the latest in a spate of strikes and protests to hit commuters in the last weeks. Verdi’s deputy chair Christine Behle said the union was seeking a 35-hour work week with no losses in wages, in a bid to make jobs more attractive to workers. Many operators are reporting up to 20 to 30 percent unfilled posts, with the worker short­ages contributing to a vi­cious cycle of overworked employees who are then falling ill, exacerbating the situation.