Weselsky threatens a new strike
GDL ends strike – no talks with Bahn planned for the time being
January 12, 2024, 6:57 p.m
The strike by the train drivers’ union GDL at Deutsche Bahn and Transdev is over – for now. While the trains are running again, there is a standstill in collective bargaining negotiations between the railways and GDL. The company has now declared its willingness to talk and is calling for negotiations.
The train drivers’ union GDL ended the strike at Deutsche Bahn on Friday evening. This was announced by GDL boss Claus Weselsky. In the next few hours, the emergency timetable will continue to apply to the federally owned company’s passenger transport. “The DB is preparing to run its normal passenger services again from the start of operations on Saturday morning and to enable a smooth start to operations,” the railway said. Only in individual regions could more trains run again in local and S-Bahn traffic immediately after the end of the strike. DB spokeswoman Bröker advised passengers to book seats for long-distance journeys at the weekend, as full trains could be expected after three days of strike.
The GDL began the strike in passenger transport on Wednesday morning, and employees in freight transport stopped work on Tuesday evening. At the same time, the Transdev group, which operates regional trains in the northwest, Saxony and Bavaria, was also on strike. At Transdev, the strike ended at short notice on Friday at 12 p.m. The GDL and the company have agreed to return to the negotiating table. According to Transdev, both sides want to meet on Monday. GDL boss Weselsky announced that Transdev had promised to “seriously negotiate all the core demands of the current collective bargaining round” – including the issue of reducing working hours for shift workers.
There are currently no signs of any new negotiations between the GDL and the railway. The GDL wants to achieve a reduction in working hours from 38 to 35 hours for shift workers at both companies with full wage compensation. The railways and Transdev have so far rejected this.
Weselsky: The next strike will be longer and harder
Shortly before the end of the three-day strike, Deutsche Bahn again called on the train drivers’ union GDL to return to the negotiating table. “We are ready to negotiate, we are ready to talk,” said DB spokeswoman Bröker. “It’s now up to the GDL to return to the table. Strikes to enforce all demands – that’s not how collective bargaining works.” GDL boss Claus Weselsky had previously said: “If nothing happens, then the next industrial dispute is inevitable.” The GDL wants to give the railway time to come up with a new offer and take a break from the strike.
“After completing these strike measures, we will give the company some time to come to its senses,” said Weselsky at the end of the third and longest strike by the German Locomotive Drivers’ Union. “If they don’t do that, the next industrial action will follow. It will be longer and it will hit the company even harder.”
In freight transport, the railway said it was able to run all time-critical, supply-relevant trains for the economy despite the strike. This includes deliveries for power plants and steel mills that need to fill their blast furnaces.