The court rejects the appeal of the railway against the GDL strike

Railway customers will have to be prepared for disabilities caused by the train drivers’ strike over the next few days. On Friday, Deutsche Bahn also failed in its second attempt to stop the labor dispute with legal means. The Hessian State Labor Court in Frankfurt rejected a corresponding preliminary injunction against the Union of German Locomotive Drivers (GDL) in the second instance.

The parties argued in particular about a clause with which the GDL wants to enforce its collective agreements for members who work in companies in which the competing union EVG is actually in the majority. In the opinion of the court, this clause should be empty, but it does not make the entire strike call ineffective. The chamber also checked whether the train drivers are holding an illegal support strike for the other railway workers.

Travelers must continue to expect restrictions

The day before, the labor court had ruled that the union’s strike targets were legitimate. The railway had justified the return to court with the serious effects of the strike. “No matter how it ends today, we have to try,” said Bahn spokesman Achim Stauß in the ARD “Morgenmagazin”. “Because this strike is unspeakable, it is completely excessive – also in its length.” The GDL top urgently has to give up its blockade attitude.

For the time being, the strike continues: In regional and S-Bahn traffic, around 40 percent of the trains are on the move, the group announced on Friday morning. Due to the different participation in strikes, the offer fluctuates regionally: There could be stronger restrictions – similar to the previous strikes – in the eastern federal states and some metropolitan regions.

For the weekend, Deutsche Bahn is aiming to slightly expand the timetable for long-distance traffic – from 25 to 30 percent. Long-distance trains between Rostock, Berlin and Dresden should also be on the way on Saturday and Sunday. One thing is certain: travelers must expect restrictions and full trains. Customers are therefore well advised to postpone trips.

GDL adheres to claims

The GDL rejected an improved offer from the group management on Wednesday, refused negotiations and continued their third round of strikes. The union wants all of the demands made in May to be met.

The GDL chairman Claus Weselsky rejected the rail tariff offer because it should not apply to all GDL members. According to his presentation, the state-owned company demands that the scope of a new collective agreement be limited to drivers, as before. “This makes it clear that DB wants to withdraw some of the GDL members’ constitutional rights,” the unionist told “Spiegel”. This threatens to split the union with first and second class members.

Rail passenger traffic has been on strike nationwide since Thursday morning. The strike began on Wednesday afternoon in freight traffic and is expected to end on Tuesday morning after five days.