Tuesday, August 10, 2021
Replacement schedule due to GDL strikes
Three out of four long-distance trains will not run
Representatives of Deutsche Bahn are angry at the GDL’s decision to strike from Tuesday evening. The company is trying to find a replacement schedule, but is already pointing out that the train cancellations will be enormous. She speaks of an “untimely escalation”.
Because of the train drivers ‘strike by the German Trainers’ Union (GDL), only about one in four planned long-distance trains will run on Deutsche Bahn on Wednesday and Thursday. In the case of regional transport, the also very limited offer will fluctuate very strongly regionally, the company announced in Berlin.
Deutsche Bahn is setting up replacement timetables due to the strike that has been announced. Board member Martin Seiler announced that these should be published on the Bahn’s website in the course of the afternoon. “We want to drive as much as possible.” The passengers want to be granted maximum goodwill.
The train drivers’ union GDL wants to start its strike on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m., initially in freight traffic, then on Wednesday at 2 a.m. also in passenger traffic. Seiler confirmed that the railway was ready to resume collective bargaining with the union at any time.
Deutsche Bahn described the strike as an “untimely escalation”. “Especially now, when people are traveling more and using the train again, the GDL top will destroy the upswing that we urgently need in view of the massive corona damage,” said Seiler. He criticized that the GDL had not kept its announcement to give customers sufficient lead time before the start of the strike.
The passenger association Pro Bahn also called the strike announcement “clearly too short-term”. In view of new billions in losses during the corona pandemic and major flood damage, Deutsche Bahn wants a longer-term collective agreement and later increases with the same percentage. Seiler called on the GDL to solve the problems in negotiations.
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