German railway
No warning strikes? EVG is aiming for an early railway tariff agreement
The first round of collective bargaining between EVG and Deutsche Bahn will take place at the end of January. The union is aiming for an agreement before the federal election. That would be good news for passengers.
If the Railway and Transport Union (EVG) has its way, passengers can hope for a warning strike-free collective bargaining round at Deutsche Bahn. At the request of the union, both sides will meet for the first round of talks in Frankfurt on January 28th.
In the best case scenario, an agreement should be reached in just a few weeks, before the federal election on February 23rd, EVG negotiator Cosima Ingenschay told the German Press Agency.
At Deutsche Bahn it was said that stability, predictability and security were very important, especially for the restructuring of the DB that has now started. “We are also striving for a quick conclusion with our passengers in mind,” said the federally owned company. The EVG’s demands are not yet available.
Since the current collective agreement and the associated peace obligation run until the end of March, no labor disputes would be possible in the desired period. The union wants to determine its specific demands on January 23rd.
CDU wants to destroy railways
Ingenschay justifies the tight schedule with the upcoming federal election and the uncertainties that a new government would mean for the railway. The CDU, for example, has long been calling for the federally-owned company to be broken up, which the EVG strictly rejects.
“Our colleagues must not become political pawns in the face of increasingly loud calls for austerity and the break-up of the railways,” emphasized Ingenschay. “That’s why we propose bringing forward collective bargaining in order to more quickly establish greater appreciation for hard work.”
Added to this is the tense economic situation at the group. Planning security regarding income and employment is therefore necessary. “Our goal is to reach good and binding solutions in the coming weeks. Whether this succeeds depends crucially on the employer’s willingness to negotiate.”
The last collective agreement was concluded in summer 2023
EVG and DB last agreed on a collective agreement in the summer of 2023. According to this, 180,000 employees should receive, among other things, 410 euros more per month in two stages – with a term of 25 months. In addition, the collective agreement provided for a tax- and duty-free inflation compensation bonus of 2,850 euros.
The negotiations were extremely tough. The union members stopped work twice during warning strikes. A third warning strike was prevented by the labor court in Frankfurt am Main. Ultimately, an arbitration procedure with an arbitrator’s decision brought the result.
dpa
Source: Stern
