Pressure on Deutsche Bahn
GDL enforces the 35-hour week regionally
January 19, 2024, 5:34 p.m
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The GDL reaches agreements with several regional transport and railway companies. Shortly after Deutsche Bahn’s latest offer in the collective bargaining dispute, the train drivers’ union is putting pressure on the large company.
The train drivers’ union GDL and the railway company Abellio have agreed on a new collective agreement. According to the union, the GDL’s central demand for a 35-hour week for shift workers was met. In addition, an increase in salaries was agreed upon. According to Abellio, the reduction in working hours from 38 to 35 hours will take place in several stages until 2028. This week, discussions were also held with other companies according to the GDL press release A 35-hour week has already been agreed. These are mostly regional railway companies.
“With the result achieved, Abellio is reaching the threshold of financial burdens,” said Abellio’s chairman, Rolf Schafferath. The GDL pointed out that new tariffs had now been agreed with 18 partners, including several regional rail companies. With a view to the stalled negotiations with Deutsche Bahn, the GDL said: “The DB is thus isolating itself further and further and shows how far it has alienated itself from the interests of its own employees.” Abellio operates large stretches of the rail network in Saxony-Anhalt, as well as lines to Lower Saxony and Thuringia.
Deutsche Bahn recently presented a new offer in the collective bargaining dispute with the train drivers’ union GDL. The company offers the union, among other things, another choice model for working hours. DB human resources director Martin Seiler said that under the offer, employees could choose to work one hour less with full pay from January 1, 2026. Anyone who decides against the reduction will receive 2.7 percent more money. In total, the employees in this case received almost 13 percent more pay from January 1, 2026 than currently. The election model from January 1, 2026 is aimed at train drivers and train crew.