In the coming week, the collective bargaining dispute between Deutsche Bahn and the EVG union will enter the next round. Both parties want to negotiate for five days. Meanwhile there should be no strikes.
In the current collective bargaining conflict, Deutsche Bahn (DB) and the railway and transport union (EVG) have agreed on a particularly long round of negotiations. The representatives of both sides want to discuss possible wage increases for a good 180,000 employees from Monday, 2 p.m. up to and including Friday, as the railway announced today. According to the EVG, there will be no new strikes during the talks.
EVG had recently rejected the railway offer
The collective bargaining dispute between EVG and DB and dozens of other railway companies has been going on since the end of February. It is about the demand for higher wages and salaries for a total of around 230,000 employees. Deutsche Bahn offered up to twelve percent more wages for a period of 24 months. That would mean ten percent more for middle incomes and eight percent for higher incomes. In addition, there would be 2,850 euros to compensate for inflation later this year.
However, the union had recently described the offer as insufficient – especially for lower wage groups. At the same time, she was willing to negotiate. The decisive points are currently the term of the collective agreement and the question of whether wages and salaries will be increased as a percentage or as a fixed amount. The EVG demands a fixed amount of at least 650 euros per month or twelve percent for the upper wage groups. According to their ideas, the term should be one year.
“Option strikes are on the table”
The last round of negotiations had lasted three days. The course of the talks in the coming week ultimately also depends on whether there will be new warning strikes on the railways in the near future.
In principle, the EVG considers further work stoppages to be possible. “The option for strikes is of course on the table,” said EVG negotiator Kristian Loroch at the end of May.