Because the collective bargaining negotiations between the railways and the GDL have failed, passengers can no longer plan safely. There is a threat of warning strikes at any time, and there is no solution to the situation in sight.
After the failure of collective bargaining between the train drivers’ union GDL and Deutsche Bahn, there will be further warning strikes on the railways. GDL boss Claus Weselsky left no doubt about this on Friday: “Now that we have let the negotiations fail, we will next put further pressure on the employer with warning strikes.” The union boss left details open.
The GDL can call for temporary warning strikes at any time. The union is currently obtaining the consent of its members for longer, possibly unlimited strikes. The ballot has already begun.
When will the next warning strike take place?
That is open, Weselsky did not give a date on Friday. “We will inform the public in good time when these will take place,” he simply said. “We see no possibility of finding compromises with this employer and extremely regret that we have to continue to inconvenience the passengers and customers of Deutsche Bahn,” Weselsky continued.
How long can a warning strike last?
It’s difficult to say in detail. But one thing is certain: unlike strikes, warning strikes must be limited in time. The duration of the strike must also be proportionate to the demands or the negotiating situation – this leaves a lot of leeway in the details. If a labor court finds that there is a lack of proportionality, a warning strike can be prohibited.
It is therefore not possible to say exactly how long a warning strike will be considered appropriate and depends, for example, on how many members are called to strike. A nationwide 50-hour warning strike on the railways, as planned by the EVG transport union in May, is probably at the limit of what is possible.
How big are the likely effects of the next warning strike?
This depends on which members the GDL specifically calls for a work stoppage and how large the strike participation is. With the nationwide call last week, the union forced Deutsche Bahn to cancel a good 80 percent of long-distance connections. In regional transport, the effects were sometimes even greater; in some regions there were almost no trains running at times.
If the GDL only calls on individual professional groups or employees in individual federal states to go on warning strike, the effects are more difficult to estimate. It is also conceivable that the GDL goes on strike in a different part of the country from day to day – the possibilities for the union are diverse in this regard.
Experience has shown that many employees are organized by the GDL, particularly in the eastern German states, as well as in the southwest. The GDL also has many members in Stuttgart and Frankfurt. In other regions, such as northern Germany, the GDL is not as strongly represented among DB employees.
What happens if there is a warning strike with tickets that have already been purchased?
During the past warning strikes, the railways canceled the train connection of tickets so that customers could advance their journey or catch up on another day. Anyone who no longer wanted to travel because of a train cancellation could have the entire fare refunded. As a rule, the railway also sets up a strike hotline for all customer questions.
When can the GDL call for an indefinite strike?
For this to happen, the result of the ballot must be available. “We don’t yet know exactly whether we will be able to count immediately before Christmas or after Christmas,” said Weselsky. For indefinite strikes, Weselsky needs the consent of 75 percent of those voting.
This procedure ensures that the strike is supported by a large majority of union members – after all, they risk significant loss of income in the event of a long strike.
It remains to be seen whether Weselsky will actually call for an indefinite strike once the result is available. It is more likely that the GDL boss will then set a precise period for the industrial action. However, he no longer has to adhere to the stricter rules for a warning strike.
Do the strikers get money for the duration of the industrial action?
Anyone who goes on strike must expect that the employer will reduce their pay accordingly. However, in the case of indefinite strikes, the unions pay strike pay after a strike vote. However, this usually does not compensate for the loss of income one-to-one. According to its own statement, the GDL also pays strike pay during warning strikes – here the regulations between the unions are very different.
Source: Stern
