The mediators have been mediating in the wage dispute since the middle of the month. The proposals are expected to be presented at the end of the week.
In the collective bargaining dispute at Deutsche Bahn (DB), the arbitrators will present their proposals on Friday, according to the railway and transport union (EVG).
“The arbitrators want to present their results on Friday, then we will discuss a recommendation for the members in the federal executive board and start the ballot in August,” said union boss Martin Burkert of the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. “We are writing to all members among the 180,000 DB employees by post. Because of the holidays, the whole process lasts until August 31.” It was the first ballot at the EVG in 30 years.
External arbitrators have been mediating in the deadlocked wage dispute since the middle of the month. It was agreed not to disclose any details about the status of the talks. It was scheduled for around two weeks until July 31st. The EVG has appointed labor lawyer Heide Pfarr (SPD) as mediator.
Former Defense and Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière (CDU) arbitrates for the railways. By the end of the ballot, the EVG had ruled out further strikes on the rails. Collective bargaining began at the end of February and collapsed at the end of June. Both sides then agreed to the arbitration.
Railway reform: Burkert wants more time to think about it
“The key thing is that workers need a really big increase in the face of inflation,” Burkert stressed. “Otherwise the shortage of workers at the railways will become an ever greater problem.”
In the discussion about a railway reform, Burkert spoke out in favor of more time to think: “It’s crazy to want to do this in a few months. A second railway reform – after privatization – must be well thought out.”
He again spoke out against separating the rail network and operations: “A break-up would mean years of standstill in view of the organizational effort. International examples show that break-up is the wrong way.”
In their coalition agreement, the SPD, Greens and FDP had announced the establishment of a new, public-interest-oriented infrastructure division that would be 100 percent owned by the state-owned Deutsche Bahn. The railway should remain as a so-called integrated group – there should be no separation of network and operation.
Source: Stern
