The train drivers’ union GDL has announced further strikes in the deadlocked collective bargaining dispute with Deutsche Bahn. It starts on Tuesday morning.
The train drivers’ union GDL has called for a new strike in the collective bargaining dispute with Deutsche Bahn (DB). As the union announced on Sunday evening, the strike in passenger transport (long-distance and regional transport) is scheduled to begin at 2 a.m. on Tuesday and end at 2 a.m. on Wednesday. In freight transport, the work stoppages are scheduled to begin on Monday evening at 6 p.m. and also last 24 hours.
The railway had previously allowed a deadline set by the German train drivers’ union of 6 p.m. on Sunday evening to submit a new written offer to pass. This would “inevitably lead to industrial action,” GDL boss Claus Weselsky said, assigning the railway responsibility for what is now the sixth strike in this round of collective bargaining.
Sixth GDL rail strike in the current collective bargaining round
Shortly before the deadline expired, the railway invited the GDL again to new negotiations to resolve the deadlocked tariff strike. “We are convinced that we will only be able to reach an agreement through dialogue at the negotiating table,” explained their human resources director in Berlin. In the event of a rejection by the GDL, the company suggested formal arbitration.
The GDL has already gone on strike five times in the current collective bargaining round; the fifth strike lasting 35 hours only ended on Friday afternoon. Another round of negotiations had previously failed last week. In this, two moderators – Schleswig-Holstein’s Prime Minister Daniel Günther and the former Federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière (both CDU) – presented a proposal.
The railway then asked the GDL to resume negotiations based on the moderator’s suggestion. However, the union rejected this and described the proposal as unacceptable. The GDL’s core demand in the collective bargaining dispute with the railway is the gradual introduction of a 35-hour week with full wage compensation.
No decision yet on emergency timetable
The GDL explained in the evening that the railway was continuing the provocation and was inevitably forcing the GDL to continue the dispute, to the chagrin of DB customers. “The GDL agreement proposals have been on the DB’s table since January 23, 2024 and the board has nothing better to do than refuse to work.” Instead of submitting a written offer and finding viable solutions with the GDL within the framework of collective bargaining, the PR campaign continued to act as if the GDL was not willing to compromise.
It therefore initially remained unclear whether the railway would be able to set up an emergency timetable again in the shortest possible time. The group may also stop all long-distance transport due to the short notice. In previous labor disputes in the ongoing collective bargaining dispute, around one in five long-distance trains was in use. In regional transport, the effects varied.
Transparency note: This article will be continually updated.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
