Deutsche Bahn is said to have invited the German Locomotive Drivers’ Union (GDL) to new collective bargaining negotiations on Monday. The AFP news agency and several media outlets report this unanimously and refer to an email from Deutsche Bahn’s human resources director Martin Seiler to GDL boss Claus Weselsky.
The crux of the negotiations is still the GDL’s demand for a reduction in weekly working hours from 38 to 35 hours for shift workers without financial losses. Weselsky rejected a suggestion from external mediators who had suggested a reduction to 36 hours with full wage compensation. According to media reports, the same proposal will now be discussed again.
The current rail strike in long-distance, regional and S-Bahn traffic is scheduled to officially end this Friday at 1 p.m. But passengers still have to expect train cancellations and delays throughout the day. According to its own information, the company will only be able to put the full range back on the rails on Saturday.
In view of Claus Weselsky’s announcements, the great uncertainty only begins after the strike ends: the head of the GDL is planning “wave strikes” in the future. These will then not be announced several days in advance as before, but only at short notice. This is intended to prevent the railway from setting up an emergency timetable, as has been the case in previous strikes, in which at least 20 percent of the trains run.