public support for the strike was relatively strong. unscientific polls of commuters by newspapers and television stations showed support for the train drivers. a scientific poll conducted by infratest dimap for the public-service broadcaster ard found that 61 percent of the people support the workers. of 1,003 people surveyed, 47 percent said deutsche bahn was to blame for the strike, while only 25 percent fingered gdl. nevertheless, the ard poll found that public support for the union had slipped by five percentage points since mid-october. a second poll for the public opinion company forsa for the newspaper "bild" showed only 45 percent of the public supported gdl.