Tariff dispute: Deutsche Bahn presents GDL with a new offer

Deutsche Bahn has moved into the wage conflict with the GDL: Shortly after the third round of strike in freight transport, the group presented a new offer. The ball is now in the union’s field.

In the wage dispute with the train drivers’ union GDL, Deutsche Bahn has presented a new offer. It includes a corona premium of up to 600 euros and a term of the collective agreement of 36 months, as Martin Seiler announced. So far, the railway had offered a term of 40 months and had not quantified the amount of the premium.

“At the same time, we are offering a wage increase of 3.2 percent – which is exactly what the GDL is demanding,” said Seiler. “There is no longer any reason for an almost week-long strike.”

Shortly before that, the third strike of the current collective bargaining round had started in freight transport. 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.

Answer from the GDL is still pending

GDL boss Claus Weselsky rejected the move shortly afterwards and criticized, among other things, that the railway had not given a specific number. The now offered € 600 bonus corresponds to the demands of the union.

With the term of a collective agreement, however, the GDL wants to achieve 28 months. She also wants the first tariff level of 1.7 percent to be paid in the current year.

Weselsky’s response to the offer of the railway has not yet been received. The union had started the freight transport strike that afternoon. On Thursday morning at 2 a.m., the labor dispute is to be expanded to include passenger traffic. This time the strike will last more than five days. It is unclear whether the railway can still prevent the industrial action with the renewed advance.