Despite poor punctuality
Bahn pays high bonuses to thousands of executives
05/10/2023, 11:05 p.m
Actually, punctuality is included in the calculation of bonuses by Deutsche Bahn. But this time, according to a media report, it is weighted with zero percent. The result: the group apparently pays out bonuses in the hundreds of millions. The board of directors should be exempt from this.
According to a media report, thousands of executives at Deutsche Bahn received bonuses totaling at least a three-digit million amount at the end of April. The bonuses were paid to 30,000 employees, including around 3,800 managers, reported NDR and “Süddeutsche Zeitung” in the evening.
From railway circles it was said that Deutsche Bahn “fulfils the employment contracts of the employees, which have been in force for decades, including collective bargaining employees and managers”. The NDR quoted a railway spokesman, according to which the money was paid out at the end of April.
No bonuses to board members initially
The railway is currently heavily criticized, among other things, due to the low punctuality rate in long-distance traffic. Last year, the long-distance trains only reached 65.2 percent of the stops on time. The goal for 2023, a rate well over 70 percent, is difficult to achieve after the performance in the first four months. Above all, the railways are struggling with a dilapidated infrastructure and the resulting construction sites.
According to the NDR report, punctuality and customer satisfaction are part of the bonus calculation, but were weighted with zero percent this time. Employee satisfaction, women in managerial positions, the achievement of financial goals and personal goals were included in the calculation of the “variable salary components”. According to the media report, the group board was initially excluded from the special payments. These payments are currently under review. The background is the question of whether the railways can use the electricity price brake and at the same time pay bonuses to the board members.
The variable remuneration was already listed in the annual report for 2022 – according to this, Bahn boss Richard Lutz should receive 1.26 million euros in addition to the basic salary of 970,000 euros. Deutsche Bahn is currently in a tough wage dispute with the railway and transport union EVG. The union wants to inform on Thursday about new warning strikes in the coming days.