The respite for the passengers could soon be over: In the wage conflict the fronts remain hardened, now the GDL is threatening a strike in front of the railway headquarters – but otherwise leaves everything open.
Deutsche Bahn passengers still have to fear a strike. The union of German locomotive drivers (GDL) renewed the threat of a labor dispute on Tuesday.
Chairman Claus Weselsky said in front of members at a protest rally in front of the headquarters of the state-owned company in Berlin: “You know that we have to use this last resort again if the management, supported by the owner, continues to behave like this.” He did not say when the GDL could strike again.
“Unlike last time, we will deliver the information in good time,” said Weselsky. But he did not want to name a period of time.
A solution to the wage conflict could be within one’s grasp, said a rail spokeswoman. “We therefore call on the GDL to refrain from further holiday strikes and finally to negotiate seriously.” It is not the time for permanent confrontation at the expense of the customers.
The GDL will not get involved in a collective agreement like at the airports, said Weselsky with reference to the offer of the group. The conclusion of the public service is also a narrow conclusion in view of the increased inflation.
The union boss rejected an arbitration. With the arbitration last autumn, “the last cartridge” was fired. “What takes place here cannot be settled.” Weselsky also accused the management of wanting to cut company pensions. The railway rejects that. In this context, Weselyks called Bahn Personnel Director Martin Seiler a “baron of lies”.
A new strike is likely to hit millions of passengers again, including many vacationers. There are still school holidays in ten federal states. Just last week the GDL paralyzed large parts of passenger traffic for two days, while the strike in freight traffic lasted a few hours longer. It fights for better pay and better working conditions for employees; at the same time, she wants to expand her influence in the rail company.
The GDL is calling for wage increases of around 3.2 percent as in the public service and a corona bonus of 600 euros in the current year. Unlike the larger railway and transport union (EVG), it does not want to accept a zero round in salaries this year.
Due to billions in losses in the pandemic, Deutsche Bahn wants to distribute the increase in stages to later dates, with a contract term of 40 months. In addition, there would be benefits for old-age provision and the exclusion of redundancies for operational reasons.
The passenger association Pro Bahn was satisfied with the replacement timetables that were in place during the first strike last week. “That was pretty neat,” said honorary chairman Karl-Peter Naumann. The replacement timetables were particularly reliable in long-distance traffic.
The association is calling for changes to the uniform collective bargaining law. “We do need a regulation on how to deal with two different unions. But there must be no competition between the unions, ”said Naumann. The GDL has been trying for months to win new members, including from the EVG. This heats up the collective bargaining conflict with the railways for more money and better working conditions.
The background to this is the Unified Collective Bargaining Act. It stipulates that in individual companies only the collective bargaining agreement of the union, which represents most of the members there, will apply. This is actually intended to provide an incentive for trade unions to coordinate their collective bargaining policy, as the Federal Ministry of Labor affirmed.
Weseslsky rejected the assumption that he was planning a political strike. «We strike for money, we strike for working conditions. We are entitled to that. ” The question of tariff unity will be clarified in courts.
The chairman of the German Police Union, Rainer Wendt, criticized Weselsky for being exposed to “terrible personal attacks”. “It is a shame how an upright trade unionist is dealt with here,” said Wendt at the rally.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
