Warning strike
GDL: Train drivers are on strike nationwide from Thursday evening to Friday evening
An ICE at Berlin Central Station (archive image)
© Christoph Söder / DPA
The train drivers’ union is serious: the GDL wants to go on strike nationwide from Thursday evening. The work stoppage should therefore last until 10 p.m. on Friday evening.
The GDL had previously declared the talks with the railways and the railway company Transdev to have failed. Although the employers had agreed to negotiate a reduction in working hours, they “did not present a negotiable offer” in the negotiating round on Tuesday, the GDL announced on Wednesday. The union then declared “the failure of the negotiations”.
Bahn: Irresponsible and selfish
The railway criticized the announced warning strike with sharp words. “The train drivers’ union (GDL) is spoiling the second weekend of Advent for millions of uninvolved people. A strike so shortly after the onset of winter and so shortly before the timetable change is irresponsible and selfish,” said railway personnel director Martin Seiler on Wednesday evening, according to a statement.
On Monday evening, the GDL spoke of progress in negotiations with Transdev and Netinera – both companies operate a number of regional railways in several federal states. It was said that Transdev had shown itself ready to talk about reducing weekly working hours, so negotiations would continue on Tuesday. At Netinera, discussions about the core issue of reducing working hours are “well advanced”. There could be a conclusion next week.
Source: “The mirror“, DPA