Engine drivers’ strike continues: court rejects rail application

The strike of the train drivers at Deutsche Bahn can continue for the time being. The labor court in Frankfurt rejected an injunction with which the railway wanted to stop the industrial action. The group announced the appointment.

The strike of the train drivers at Deutsche Bahn can continue after a court order. The labor court in Frankfurt am Main announced that it had rejected Deutsche Bahn’s application for an injunction against the strikes of the train drivers’ union GDL. It could not be established with sufficient certainty in the urgent proceedings that the strike was “pursuing inadmissible collective bargaining goals,” said a court spokeswoman.

Previously, the attempt by the presiding judge, Volker Schulze, to bring both sides back to the negotiating table with a settlement had failed. The GDL had again refused to enter into talks before all of its demands from May were met.

Deutsche Bahn appeals

Deutsche Bahn announced an appeal against the judgment. After the defeat, the group now wants to take action against the strike in the next instance and have the verdict examined by the regional labor court, said a spokeswoman. “We were aware that the hurdles in an urgent procedure are very high and that the right to strike in Germany is very well protected with good reason,” said the spokeswoman. “Nevertheless, we see it as our responsibility, in the interests of our customers, to leave no stone unturned to end the strike.”

GDL boss Claus Weselsky said after the court decision that the chamber had clearly said: “The industrial action is legal, it is permissible and it is also proportionate.” In the event of an appeal, he expected a hearing in the second instance on Friday morning. He was confident: “I think we are also on the right track with our arguments and our actions. The way it should be,” said Weselsky. “We will continue the labor dispute until this Deutsche Bahn AG makes a materially reasonable offer,” said the GDL boss. “We are always ready to negotiate when Deutsche Bahn makes an offer.”

Bahn increases train offer

In the morning, Deutsche Bahn had submitted an urgent application to ban the GDL’s strike. “Even after the latest statements by the GDL, this labor dispute is evidently more about legal and political issues than about finding solutions for good working conditions at the negotiating table,” the group argued.

The GDL had previously rejected an improved offer from the group management, refused negotiations and continued its third round of strike. The strike in passenger traffic has been running since early Thursday morning and in freight traffic since Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Deutsche Bahn announced that it would increase the number of long-distance trains still in operation from 25 to 30 percent. Every third long-distance train should be on the move with it. In regional and S-Bahn traffic, the company continues to maintain a basic offer of 40 percent, albeit with regional differences. According to Bahn, the focus of the strike in this round is again in the east.

GDL rejected new rail offer

The GDL chairman Claus Weselsky had rejected the improved rail tariff offer because it should not apply to all GDL members. According to his presentation, the railway demands that the scope of a new collective agreement be limited to the drivers as before. “This makes it clear that DB wants to withdraw some of the GDL members’ constitutional rights,” the trade unionist told “Spiegel”. This threatens to split the union with first and second class members. “The aim of the rail board is to destroy the existence of the GDL,” Weselsky said that morning in Leipzig.

With around 38,000 members, the GDL sees itself in fierce competition with the larger rail and transport union EVG. According to the collective bargaining law passed in 2015, only the collective agreement of the larger employee representation should apply to two unions in one company.