Despite a new offer from Deutsche Bahn, the third strike round of the German Train Drivers Union (GDL) in passenger transport has been running since early Thursday morning. The labor dispute started at two o’clock as planned, the union’s strike leadership announced on request. The union had not yet commented on the group’s offer. The labor dispute in the Group’s freight transport had already started on Wednesday afternoon.
Until probably Tuesday morning, rail customers will have to be prepared for severe restrictions in long-distance and regional transport of the group for the time being. Deutsche Bahn has announced that it will run around every fourth long-distance train. In regional and S-Bahn traffic, around 40 percent of the otherwise usual offer should be available.
With the strike scheduled for more than five days in the current collective bargaining round at the railway, the GDL wants to emphasize its demands for a total of 3.2 percent more money over a period of 28 months. Deutsche Bahn had originally aimed for a significantly longer term of around 40 months. With the new offer, she has now announced 36 months and a corona bonus of up to 600 euros. Furthermore, the railway offered 3.2 percent more salary in two stages. However, both sides disagree about when these steps should take effect. The GDL wants the first tariff level of 1.7 percent to be paid in the current year.
“There is no longer any reason for a strike,” said DB Personnel Director Martin Seiler after the railway had submitted its offer. The industrial action must be stopped. The railway wants to meet the central requirements of the GDL. The union must give up its “blocking attitude” and come to the negotiating table.
Even before the previous round of strikes last week, the state-owned railway had promised a corona bonus and thus hoped to be able to avert the labor dispute at the time. GDL boss Claus Weselsky rejected the move shortly afterwards and criticized, among other things, that the railway had not given a specific number. The maximum EUR 600 bonus now offered corresponds to the demands of the union.