Deutsche Bahn wants to completely paralyze long-distance traffic from Sunday evening. But GDL boss Claus Weselsky thinks that’s exaggerated and accuses the railway board of irresponsibility.
The chairman of the Union of German Locomotive Drivers (GDL), Claus Weselsky, considers it unnecessary for Deutsche Bahn to stop long-distance traffic for 50 hours from Sunday evening due to a warning strike by the EVG union.
“The EVG is not so well organized at the network subsidiary DB Netz that Deutsche Bahn would be forced to stop rail traffic,” Weselsky told the news portal “The Pioneer”. “With a certain effort, Deutsche Bahn could maintain network operations and many ICE trains could continue to run.” According to Weselsky, the board of directors behaves irresponsibly and without ambition.
All ICE and IC trains remain in the depots
Deutsche Bahn announced on Thursday that from Sunday evening at 10 p.m. to Tuesday night at midnight all ICE and IC trains remained in the depots due to the EVG warning strike. Also in regional traffic there will be no trains for the most part.
The railway and transport union (EVG) had previously announced a nationwide 50-hour warning strike in long-distance, regional and freight transport in the ongoing wage dispute with Deutsche Bahn.
From Weselsky’s point of view, the EVG has no interest in a quick solution to the tariff dispute because it fears “that we (GDL) will negotiate better tariff conditions for our members with Deutsche Bahn”. Weselsky continued: “I am sure that there will be no conclusion before we have made our demands.”
The GDL is negotiating new collective agreements for the locomotive drivers and train staff organized by it from late summer. On June 5, the GDL wants to officially announce their demands.
Source: Stern
