Warning strike by train drivers
Bahn cancels second round of tariffs with GDL
November 15, 2023, 12:28 p.m
“Either you strike or you negotiate,” says the railway. She is canceling talks planned for this week with the train drivers’ union GDL. They had previously announced a warning strike that would begin late this evening.
Deutsche Bahn initially no longer wants to negotiate with the train drivers’ union GDL. The reason was the dispute announced for Wednesday evening to Thursday evening, said Bahn Human Resources Director Martin Seiler. “Either you strike or you negotiate. You can’t do both at the same time.”
Further discussions between the collective bargaining partners were actually agreed for Thursday and Friday. “Anyone who breaks agreements and makes millions of travelers liable with a short-term strike cannot expect us to simply continue to sit at the negotiating table.” It is unique in social partnership that the GDL wants to strike in the middle of negotiations. “This escalation is solely the responsibility of the GDL.”
It is unclear whether further agreed negotiation dates will be adhered to by the collective bargaining parties in the coming weeks. The train drivers’ union announced the first nationwide warning strike in this year’s collective bargaining round on Tuesday. The strike is scheduled to last from Wednesday evening 10 p.m. to Thursday evening 6 p.m. The reason given was that the railway was not yet prepared to respond to core demands such as a reduction in working hours. The railway expects the strike to have a massive impact on operations.
The GDL charges, among other things, 555 euros more per month. In addition, the working hours for shift workers should be reduced to 35 of 38 hours per week without a reduction in wages. In addition, the tax-free inflation bonus of 3,000 euros is required once. The term should not exceed twelve months. The railway rejects the demands as too high. In total, they would mean a volume of 50 percent more. She had offered wage increases of eleven percent over 32 months.