MAt the start of the train drivers' strike in Deutsche Bahn's passenger transport, the emergency timetable started as planned early on Wednesday morning, according to the company. “The GDL strike will cause massive disruption to all long-distance and regional traffic up to and including Monday,” the railway said. The emergency timetable offers a greatly reduced but reliable range of journeys. The railway advises travelers to reserve a seat early on long-distance trains. The industrial action is expected to last until Monday at 6 p.m.
The GDL union's strike in freight transport has been going on since Tuesday evening. There are also significant restrictions here. “European freight traffic across the Alps, Poland or to Scandinavia as well as the seaports in Holland or Belgium are also affected,” the railway announced in the evening. Even before the strike, a significant decline in volumes had been recorded because many customers had canceled transport.
Train connections lifted
As with the previous strikes, the railway has set up a shortened timetable with a greatly reduced offer. Customers can choose which trains run via the railway website or find out their app. The group has also set up a free information number that can be used to provide individual information about the timetable.
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Anyone who has previously purchased a ticket for the strike period can postpone their journey to a later date. The railway has canceled the train connections. Seat reservations can be canceled free of charge.
Bahn rejects GDL offer
It is the union's fourth and longest strike to date in the ongoing collective bargaining dispute. For the first time it also covers a complete weekend. The situation in the collective bargaining dispute is messed up. There have been no negotiations between the GDL and the railway since the end of November. The union under its boss Claus Weselsky also saw no basis for discussion in the railway's most recent offer.
On Wednesday, Weselsky demanded more accommodation from the railway. “What Deutsche Bahn AG is doing is nothing other than the repeated rejection of all demands,” criticized GDL boss Claus Weselsky on Wednesday in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin”. The train only moves millimeters. When asked when the union would negotiate again, the trade unionist said: “As soon as Deutsche Bahn comes down from its high horse.” The union leader defended the duration of the strike as “proportionate”.
The GDL has now presented Deutsche Bahn with another offer, which includes, among other things, a gradual reduction in working hours to 35 hours in the years 2025 to 2028. The offer also stipulates that it is possible for train drivers to maintain the 40-hour week on a voluntary basis with appropriate remuneration.
However, the railway rejected the union's offer. “This is not a proposal for an agreement, it is a repetition of well-known maximum demands that cannot be implemented in this way.” The GDL does not accommodate the railway on a single point. This shows the need to finally come together again and look for solutions and compromises.
GDL wants to expand influence
In December, the GDL had its members vote on indefinite strikes. Around 97 percent of the participating employees were in favor of this. Since then, strikes lasting several days have been possible.
In addition to financial demands, the collective bargaining dispute primarily revolves around the issue of reducing weekly working hours for shift workers. The GDL wants to reduce this from 38 to 35 hours while keeping the salary the same. Among other things, the railway has offered an option model that provides for a one-hour reduction without financial losses. Anyone who decides against this will instead receive 2.7 percent more money. Union boss Claus Weselsky sees the offer as no basis for further negotiations.
The collective bargaining conflict is complicated by the fact that the GDL wants to expand its influence in the company and also conclude collective agreements for employees in the infrastructure division. There are already collective agreements there from the larger railway and transport union (EVG), with which the GDL competes. The railway has so far rejected this request.
Wissing calls for arbitration
Meanwhile, Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) sharply criticized the behavior of the train drivers' union. “The fact that a strike has been called for the fourth time in the ongoing conflict without even talking to each other is unacceptable,” Wissing told the “Bild” newspaper.
It looks more and more like “the conflict is completely deadlocked,” said the FDP politician. “That’s why a moderator should be brought in.” Wissing called on the collective bargaining parties to “find solutions at the negotiating table or initiate arbitration.” The strike is not only an enormous burden on the national economy, but also nerve-wracking for all travelers and commuters.
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