No relief is foreseeable in the train driver’s collective bargaining dispute. Another industrial dispute disrupts travel plans. For thousands it means improvising again. At least there will be a break in the strike.
The next warning strike is imminent at the railways. The train drivers’ union GDL called on its members to stop work on Thursday evening. The strike at Deutsche Bahn is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in freight traffic, at 10 p.m. in passenger traffic and end at 10 p.m. on Friday evening. Restrictions are expected before the warning strike begins, as well as afterwards.
During the strike, an emergency timetable with greatly reduced services will apply. As with the first GDL warning strike, Deutsche Bahn wants to maintain around 20 percent of long-distance traffic again. The emergency timetable is now available online. “All connections in the emergency timetable are now available in the information media on bahn.de and in the DB Navigator app,” the company announced. The railway has also set up a strike number again. Affected passengers can find out about their connections by calling 08000-996633.
After the warning strike, the GDL no longer wants to strike until January 7th. “We will now carry out this strike action on Thursday and Friday, and it will be the last one for this year,” said GDL chairman Claus Weselsky on MDR-aktuell on Wednesday evening.
GDL boss: Strikes in the new year “longer and more intense”
Train passengers can only take a quick breather after the upcoming warning strike: Weselsky has already promised further labor disputes for the new year. “We will count the ballot on December 19th and will not go on strike in the first week of January, but after that the strikes will be longer and more intense,” the GDL chairman told Bayerischer Rundfunk.
The union is currently letting its members vote on indefinite strikes by ballot. The result is expected on December 19th. Weselsky expects approval of around 90 percent. For indefinite strikes, more than 75 percent of members must agree. Such industrial disputes can be costly for employees. The union’s strike pay usually only compensates for a portion of the wage losses that employees may incur in labor disputes.
Regional transport: Different impacts depending on the region
In regional transport, Deutsche Bahn expects major differences in the effects of the warning strike depending on the region. In Bavaria, traffic will largely come to a standstill due to the weather. This is not the case elsewhere, said railway spokesman Achim Stauß on Thursday.
The employees of Deutsche Bahn, including the S-Bahn operations in Berlin and Hamburg as well as the railway companies Transdev, AKN and City-Bahn Chemnitz as well as other companies, have been called on a warning strike.
The strike on a busy Friday thwarted the plans of thousands of passengers. You can postpone your trip planned for this Thursday or Friday and use your ticket at another time. The train connection has been lifted, the railway announced. Reservations can be canceled free of charge.
The German Locomotive Drivers’ Union (GDL) wants to use the campaign to increase the pressure in the current collective bargaining round. Among other things, she wants to emphasize the demand for a reduction in working hours for shift workers. “The employers are stonewalling everywhere and are not prepared to give the employees the appreciation and recognition they deserve for the work they have done,” criticized the union.
Dissatisfaction among passenger representatives
The timing of the warning strike announcement on Wednesday evening was met with displeasure by the Pro Bahn passenger association. “What we criticize is the short-term nature. We would like it to be announced two days in advance when the strike will take place so that passengers can prepare for it,” said Federal Chairman Detlef Neuß.
Protests by the strikers are planned in Frankfurt, Cologne and Munich. GDL members also want to campaign for their demands in Postdam, at the venue of the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations for the federal states’ public services. The same applies to the railways as to the public service, said Ulrich Silberbach, chairman of the German Civil Service Association. “If you want to attract and retain qualified specialists, you have to offer attractive and competitive working conditions.”
Railway: GDL demands cannot be met
Deutsche Bahn criticized the GDL for ruining the second weekend of Advent for millions of uninvolved people. A strike so soon after the onset of winter and so shortly before the timetable change was irresponsible and selfish, rail personnel director Martin Seiler criticized. “Instead of negotiating and facing reality, the train drivers’ union is striking for demands that cannot be met. This is absolutely unnecessary.”
The GDL last called for a warning strike at the railway on November 15th and 16th. In March and April, the larger railway and transport union (EVG) called for one-day warning strikes. In the unusually tough collective bargaining round for train drivers, a strike vote on indefinite strikes is already underway.
Source: Stern
