Railway union: EVG is demanding 7.6 percent more in the railway collective bargaining round

The Railway and Transport Union (EVG) is entering into collective bargaining negotiations with Deutsche Bahn with a demand of 7.6 percent more money. The union also announced that it wants to obtain additional pay of 2.6 percent for shift workers. However, passengers will not be subject to warning strikes for the time being.

Part of the additional money for shift workers should be exchangeable for additional days off. There will also be a bonus payment of 500 euros for EVG members. All employees are also guaranteed to keep their jobs until the end of 2027. The first round of talks is scheduled for January 28th.

“In this collective bargaining round, it is important to us to have more appreciation for hard work and the security of income and employment,” said EVG negotiator Cosima Ingenschay in Berlin. The union also demanded 7.6 percent more money in the most recent collective bargaining rounds with the private railways. The end result was a wage increase of 6.1 percent.

At the railway, the EVG is also concerned with an improved pay structure in order to end financial imbalances among individual professional groups. The railway announced that it had received the EVG demands and was now examining them.

Warning strikes excluded until the end of March

However, there is no risk of warning strikes for passengers in the foreseeable future. The current collective agreement and the associated peace obligation run until the end of March. Due to the federal election on February 23rd, the negotiations were brought forward at the EVG’s request. “If our colleagues don’t want to become political pawns, it can only be done now. In March it may be too late for that,” emphasized Ingenschay.

However, the EVG does not want to give up labor disputes as a possible means of pressure. The negotiators emphasized that there would be no conclusion at any price. The members made it clear in surveys that they were ready to go on strike. “So we have all options after the peace obligation expires,” it said. From April 1st everything is possible, said Ingenschay.

According to Deutsche Bahn, the EVG collective agreements apply to around 192,000 employees. EVG and the federally owned DB last agreed on a collective agreement in the summer of 2023. During the tough negotiations, the union members stopped work twice.