Indefinite strikes with numerous train cancellations may still threaten the railways in the summer. After the failed collective bargaining, the railway and transport union EVG now wants its members to decide on this.
The railway and transport union (EVG) has declared the negotiations with Deutsche Bahn on a new collective agreement to have failed. “From now on” a vote on indefinite strikes will be prepared. This was announced by EVG chairman Martin Burkert.
According to Burkert, at least 75 percent of those entitled to vote must vote in favor of “prolonged” strikes. The ballot is possible because if the negotiations fail, the agreed peace obligation expires.
It can take four to five weeks to get a result. But even during this time, warning strikes cannot be ruled out, Burkert continued. He cannot rule out that these could also fall during the summer holidays.
If union members vote for an indefinite strike, the strikers would not be entitled to any wages or salaries, including unemployment benefits. Negotiations between the union and employers can continue during the strike. A possible result in the collective bargaining dispute would then have to be decided again by ballot. In this case, 25 percent of those entitled to vote would have to vote for the negotiated compromise.
Tariff conflict has been going on for months
The tariff dispute between Deutsche Bahn and EVG has been going on since February. The union had already called for warning strikes in March and April. In May, she had called for a walkout that was supposed to last around 50 hours. However, this was averted because the EVG and Bahn were able to agree on a mandatory comparison.
Since then, however, negotiations have failed to reach a compromise on a collective agreement. The EVG demands a wage increase 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. The union negotiates for around 230,000 employees at around 50 rail and bus companies, including around 180,000 at Deutsche Bahn.
According to its own statements, the railways recently promised a high fixed amount, 2850 euros for inflation compensation and far-reaching structural improvements. However, she did not give any details about these improvements. The group wants to set the term of the collective agreement at 27 months.
However, the TOE rejects this term as too long. She also criticized the offered wage increase as too low and too late.
“Escalation is absolutely unnecessary”
Deutsche Bahn reacted with incomprehension to the EVG’s decision. “This escalation is absolutely unnecessary, we were very close to completion,” said company spokesman Matthias Waha. It is “absurd” to unsettle travelers with threats of strikes and possibly “spoil their summer holidays”. Already on Wednesday, the railways had accused the union of throwing away an almost finished collective agreement, 140 pages of text had already been finished.
The EVG had also received severe criticism from the Union. “It’s not surprising that the EVG broke up the negotiations. It’s a stubborn club that has the blinders on and wants to put its head through the wall – with all due respect for collective bargaining autonomy,” said the deputy chairman of the Union faction, Ulrich Lange , the news agency dpa.
But at some point the measure will be full. “Constant strikes aren’t a panacea and they drive the train passengers, who have the least to do with all this, insane,” said Lange.