No breakthrough in the collective bargaining dispute: the EVG trade union also rejects the employers’ most recent offer as “insufficient”. Whether warning strikes are threatened depends on the talks in the next few days.
In the collective bargaining dispute at Deutsche Bahn, there is still no agreement in sight. The railway and transport union (EVG) rejected the recently improved offer from the state-owned group as “insufficient” late Tuesday evening.
At the same time, she called on employers to hold further negotiations in Berlin this Wednesday. “Essential points of our demands have still not been met,” said negotiator Kristian Loroch. “What is currently on the table is socially unfair.” The railway initially did not comment on the reaction of the union in the evening.
EVG: “Can continue negotiations from Wednesday”
Whether there will be further warning strikes depends on the next few days. The EVG has asked the railways to “adjust their offer accordingly and to negotiate further with us immediately,” as Loroch further announced. “We have invited our central wage commission to Berlin and can continue the negotiations from Wednesday.” That is in the interest of the group, “because as long as we sit at the negotiating table, there will be no strikes.”
The railway had submitted the current offer at the most recent round of negotiations in Fulda last week and asked the EVG to comment on it up to and including this Tuesday. The group has gradually promised twelve percent for the lower wage groups. The middle groups should get a total of ten percent more and the upper groups eight percent. The first stage of the increase should therefore be implemented this year. In addition, there is also a gradual inflation compensation premium totaling 2850 euros, which could be paid tax- and duty-free from this July. The term is 24 months.
Third warning strike averted – for the time being
Measured against the previous offers, the railways have made further concessions to the EVG. The two sides are still far apart: the union demands a fixed amount of at least 650 euros per month or twelve percent more for the upper wage brackets. According to their ideas, the term should only be twelve months. EVG has so far strictly rejected one-off payments.
Further warning strikes or even a ballot that could result in indefinite strikes are therefore not off the table. The EVG has already twice called for warning strikes in the ongoing collective bargaining dispute, which has largely brought rail traffic in Germany to a standstill. On the other hand, the union canceled a third planned 50-hour warning strike at short notice after reaching a settlement with the railways before the Frankfurt labor court in one of the negotiating sticking points.
In its approach, the union should also have an eye on the developments at the competing railway union GDL, whose collective agreements expire this fall. At the beginning of June, the Union of German Locomotive Drivers (GDL) wants to define its demands for the upcoming negotiations.
Month-long tariff conflict
The significantly smaller GDL, headed by Claus Weselsky, primarily represents the interests of train drivers on the railways. Weselsky is known for his tough behavior in collective bargaining disputes and frequent warning strikes. It is quite possible that the EVG wants to wait for the announcement of the competition before concluding its own deal.
The tariff conflict between DB and EVG has been going on since the end of February. At the beginning the talks were very sluggish, but the fourth round of negotiations last week in Fulda was rated as constructive by both sides.
In addition to the railway, the EVG is gradually negotiating with dozens of other railway companies about higher tariffs for a total of around 230,000 industry employees. “Some railway and transport companies, with whom we are currently also negotiating, are now a clear step ahead of DB AG and are already offering a minimum amount by which wages should rise each month,” Loroch said on Tuesday.
Source: Stern
