Just a month after floods devastated portions of the Danube, Germany’s lock workers have gone on strike to protest legislation that could threaten 3,000 jobs in that country, creating more adverse consequences for river cruise lines.

Although the strike is set to end at midnight Thursday, the damage has already been done as the job action has rendered many locks in set regions of the country inoperable.

The result, of course, is that once again river cruise itineraries across Germany are in a state of flux. With the height of the summer season in full swing, finding last-minute hotel rooms or coach charters to get guests from Point A to Point B can be challenging.

Particularly hard hit have been the  same regions affected by the flooding that swept through the area last month, including Bavaria, Lower Saxony and the North Rhine.

While current voyages in-progress throughout the region will likely be affected, there could be a knock-on effect for next week’s sailings due to ships potentially being too far up or down river to embark guests. In that case, cruise lines will bus guests to the ports of embarkation.

London’s Telegraph notes that Avalon Waterways has contingency plans in place to allow guests who are currently onboard to experience different sights by coach. Those who do not want to do so will be refunded.

Viking River Cruises has said it is making do at the moment by swapping guests from one ship to another where necessary; an inconvenience, but one that the line is  prepared for thanks to its larger-than-average fleet of Viking Longships.

The walkout by German lock-keepers has been made more difficult by the fact that some independently operated locks, which are unaffected by union regulations, are in operation while others are not. Germany has proposed centralizing the country’s waterways and shipping offices in a move that could see as many as 3,000 workers lose their jobs.

We’ll have more updates here on River Cruise Advisor as they become available.