No hope for a quick end to union dispute with Deutsche Bahn, says official
Demands by the train drivers’ union go beyond pay increases, says government rail commissioner
12 August 2021 - 15:47
byMarkus Wacket
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A Deutsche Bahn AG passenger train during a train drivers strike at Berlin Central railway station in Berlin, Germany, on Wednesday, August 11 2021. Picture: BLOOMBERG/KRISZTIAN BOCSI
Berlin — A dispute between German rail operator Deutsche Bahn and train drivers’ union GDL, which has escalated to a nationwide strike, will not end soon as the union’s demands go beyond wage increases, the government rail commissioner said on Thursday.
The strike, which started with freight trains on Tuesday evening and is due to end early on Friday, has brought thousands of trains to a standstill, severely disrupting passenger and cargo traffic across the country.
“I am afraid it will be difficult to defuse it in the short term,” said Enak Ferlemann, who oversees Germany’s rail sector, including fully state-owned Deutsche Bahn.
Ferlemann said reforming the collective bargaining law and developing the railway system were the real issues behind the strike.
“These are political goals for which one cannot actually strike,” Ferlemann told a news conference, adding that pressing on these issues should not be at the expense of travellers. “Don’t take the passengers hostage,” he said.
GDL was not immediately available to comment on Ferlemann’s remarks.
About 40% of local and a quarter of long-distance trains were still operational on Thursday, Deutsche Bahn said.
Train drivers’ union GDL announced the strike after wage talks with management collapsed. The union is demanding a wage increase of about 3.2% and a one-time coronavirus allowance of €600.
Deutsche Bahn said its position on pay was “quite close” to the union, urging it to return to the negotiation table. “We appeal to the GDL to stop the strikes and return to a responsible solution,” Deutsche Bahn spokesperson Achim Stauss said on Thursday.
Rivalry between GDL and the larger EVG train workers union, which reached an agreement with Deutsche Bahn management in 2020, made negotiations for GDL more difficult, EVG head Klaus-Dieter Hommel said.
“It’s about the existence of the GDL,” Hommel told Deutschlandfunk radio on Thursday, adding it would renegotiate the deal it had with Deutsche Bahn if GDL got a better offer.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
No hope for a quick end to union dispute with Deutsche Bahn, says official
Demands by the train drivers’ union go beyond pay increases, says government rail commissioner
Berlin — A dispute between German rail operator Deutsche Bahn and train drivers’ union GDL, which has escalated to a nationwide strike, will not end soon as the union’s demands go beyond wage increases, the government rail commissioner said on Thursday.
The strike, which started with freight trains on Tuesday evening and is due to end early on Friday, has brought thousands of trains to a standstill, severely disrupting passenger and cargo traffic across the country.
“I am afraid it will be difficult to defuse it in the short term,” said Enak Ferlemann, who oversees Germany’s rail sector, including fully state-owned Deutsche Bahn.
Ferlemann said reforming the collective bargaining law and developing the railway system were the real issues behind the strike.
“These are political goals for which one cannot actually strike,” Ferlemann told a news conference, adding that pressing on these issues should not be at the expense of travellers. “Don’t take the passengers hostage,” he said.
GDL was not immediately available to comment on Ferlemann’s remarks.
About 40% of local and a quarter of long-distance trains were still operational on Thursday, Deutsche Bahn said.
Train drivers’ union GDL announced the strike after wage talks with management collapsed. The union is demanding a wage increase of about 3.2% and a one-time coronavirus allowance of €600.
Deutsche Bahn said its position on pay was “quite close” to the union, urging it to return to the negotiation table. “We appeal to the GDL to stop the strikes and return to a responsible solution,” Deutsche Bahn spokesperson Achim Stauss said on Thursday.
Rivalry between GDL and the larger EVG train workers union, which reached an agreement with Deutsche Bahn management in 2020, made negotiations for GDL more difficult, EVG head Klaus-Dieter Hommel said.
“It’s about the existence of the GDL,” Hommel told Deutschlandfunk radio on Thursday, adding it would renegotiate the deal it had with Deutsche Bahn if GDL got a better offer.
Reuters
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