After the failure of the collective bargaining talks between Deutsche Bahn and EVG, the union is advising on how to proceed. There could be an indefinite strike or arbitration proceedings. The EVG wants to comment around noon.
In the collective bargaining dispute with Deutsche Bahn, the railway and transport union EVG is now advising on how to proceed. Yesterday, the union announced that collective bargaining with the state-owned company had failed. She justified the termination by saying that the salary increase offered by Deutsche Bahn was too low and came too late. The planned contract period of 27 months is “significantly too long,” it said.
How does it go from here?
A meeting of the federal board of directors began shortly after 9:00 a.m. today. The EVG announced that it would probably comment on how to proceed on Thursday around noon or in the early afternoon. Above all, a possible ballot vote on indefinite strikes or an arbitration procedure should be discussed.
However, it is also possible that EVG boss Martin Burkert will take over the negotiations in order to then find a solution with DB representatives.
Scenario one: strikes during the summer holidays
Should the EVG decide in favor of a ballot and indefinite strikes at Deutsche Bahn, work stoppages with countless train cancellations in the middle of the summer holidays threaten. North Rhine-Westphalia has already started the holidays, and Lower Saxony, Bremen and Saxony-Anhalt will follow on July 6th.
Warning strikes parallel to the ballot are not excluded. This ballot is now possible because the peace obligation has expired with failed collective bargaining. There are no general regulations as to how many union members have to take part in a ballot in order for a strike to occur. The end of a strike must also be decided by ballot.
The union had already made it clear several times that strikes are an acceptable option for the EVG: “We cannot rule out new strikes until an acceptable collective bargaining agreement has been reached,” said EVG negotiator Kristian Loroch.
Scenario Two: Arbitration
Arbitration is an attempt to reach a result through negotiations. An arbitration commission is set up for this purpose. It consists of representatives of the trade union and Deutsche Bahn, as well as independent arbitrators.
At the end of the arbitration negotiations, the commission makes a recommendation, which EVG and Deutsche Bahn then negotiate again.
What should be in the collective agreement?
In the collective bargaining conflict that has been going on since February, the EVG is demanding a wage increase of at least 650 euros a month or twelve percent for the upper wage brackets. 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.
wage settlements at private railways
At the beginning of the current week, the EVG had reached deals with some private railways. Wage increases of 420 euros were agreed in several stages, a term of mostly 21 months and 1000 to 1400 euros inflation compensation premium.
However, the conclusions were controversially discussed among the members of the EVG, since the EVG had also demanded at least 650 euros more there.