Wednesday, September 1st, 2021
“Irritating bogus offers”
GDL rejects new arbitration attempt
The strike of the union of German locomotive drivers is initially entering the next round in freight transport. Shortly before it also affects passenger transport, Deutsche Bahn makes a new attempt at arbitration. The GDL rejects that, the railway just wants to gain time.
Shortly before the start of its multi-day strike, the union of German locomotive drivers (GDL) rejected a new attempt at arbitration in the wage dispute with Deutsche Bahn (DB). “The railway is only trying to gain time and to irritate the public and media representatives with bogus offers,” said GDL chairman Claus Weselsky of the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. At the same time, the trade unionist rejected allegations that the GDL refused to hold talks.
Weselsky accused DB HR Director of having refused to continue negotiating at the last round of negotiations on June 7, 2021. “Instead, he wanted to enter into explorations to prevent the failure of the negotiations,” said the GDL boss. “I did not allow this because our demands had been known for weeks and we reduced them to the known key figures before June 7th.”
The GDL boss also rejected the accusation that he wanted to entice members of the larger railway and transport union (EVG) with the strike. “It is legitimate that we are recruiting for members,” said Weselsky. “We are not chasing away EVG members, because only 25 percent of the entries since July 2020 come from the EVG. 75 percent of the new members were not previously in a union,” he said.
Third and longest strike to date
The GDL announced on Monday the third and so far longest strike in the tariff dispute with the railway. The industrial action is to begin on Wednesday at 5 p.m. in freight traffic and on Thursday at 2 a.m. in passenger traffic. The strikes should end on Tuesday next week at 2 a.m.
The GDL is calling for a wage increase of 3.2 percent as well as a corona bonus of 600 euros and better working conditions. The railway offers 3.2 percent more wages, but wants to implement the levels later and demands a longer term of the collective agreement. The company has also offered negotiations for a corona bonus, but has not given a specific number.
The wage war is also about the position of GDL in the group and in competition with EVG. This has already come to an agreement with the railways, but the train drivers’ union considers the results to be inadequate.
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