Almost nothing has been happening at many train stations since late in the evening: the GDL’s nationwide warning strike began at 10 p.m. There are numerous failures in both regional and long-distance transport.
The nationwide warning strike by the German Locomotive Drivers’ Union (GDL) began as announced late on Wednesday evening. In the tariff dispute with Deutsche Bahn, the GDL wants to largely paralyze rail traffic for 20 hours. The end of the strike is scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m.
The railway has drawn up an emergency timetable and is responding to the strike with longer trains with more seats. Nevertheless, there are massive restrictions nationwide. It is assumed that “less than 20 percent of the ICE and IC trains will run on Thursday,” said company spokesman Achim Stauß.
There will also be far-reaching restrictions in regional and freight transport. Passengers are asked to postpone their trips planned for the time of the industrial action – according to Deutsche Bahn, the tickets can be used flexibly.
Bahn says collective bargaining talks Strike notice away
The GDL surprisingly announced the warning strike on Tuesday. Those called upon include train drivers, train attendants, workshop employees and dispatchers. Deutsche Bahn then canceled the second round of collective bargaining this week. “Either you strike or you negotiate. You can’t do both at the same time,” said Human Resources Director Martin Seiler. The talks planned for this Thursday and Friday will therefore not take place.
After the first negotiations, both sides originally agreed on a timetable for the collective bargaining round. Negotiations should continue on a weekly basis. “Anyone who breaks these agreements in this way and calls for strikes at short notice and thereby makes travelers liable cannot expect us to continue to sit at the negotiating table,” said Seiler. GDL boss Claus Weselsky, however, defended the strike that was announced at short notice. The union must first build up pressure.
GDL demands a 35-hour week with full wage compensation
For a collective agreement term of one year, the GDL is demanding a wage increase of at least 555 euros per month as well as an increase in shift work allowances by 25 percent and a tax-free inflation payment of 3,000 euros. The core concern, however, is a 35-hour week with full wage compensation in a four-day week for employees in shift work. The union therefore considers the first offer submitted by the railway to be inadequate.
The company offers eleven percent more wages and an inflation bonus of up to 2,850 euros for a term of 32 months. The group rejects the reduction in working hours with full wage compensation demanded by the GDL as unachievable.
What happens next is unclear. The next agreed interview dates are November 23rd and 24th. Both sides left it open whether these would take place.