The Deutsche Bahn (DB) wants to prevent a fourth strike by the GDL and presents a new tariff offer. It is time to “switch to negotiation mode”.
Berlin – The collective bargaining conflict between Deutsche Bahn and the train drivers’ union GDL has still not been resolved. On Saturday (September 11th, 2021) the DB Group presented a new tariff offer to the union of boss Claus Weselsky, with which further rail strikes should be averted
In addition to a wage increase of 3.2 percent and a corona bonus for 2021, the railway is offering an “additional remuneration component”, the company announced, without specifying this. The group is also ready to “review the scope of the GDL tariff regulations in today’s GDL majority companies”. The aim of the Deutsche Bahn offer is “to come to a quick agreement in the interests of the customer”.
Strike should be prevented: Deutsche Bahn (DB) presents GDL with a new offer
In addition to wage issues, the collective bargaining dispute is also about the status of the GDL in the company. If several unions negotiate collective agreements for the same occupational groups in a company, only the collective agreement of the union that has the most members in the company applies. The locomotive drivers’ union (GDL) competes with the much larger EVG.
The GDL accuses Deutsche Bahn of wanting to limit membership in its union to certain professional groups – for example train drivers, train attendants or on-board restaurateurs. In this way, they prevent the GDL from actually being able to achieve the majority in the respective company, according to Claus Weselsky.
In the new offer, Deutsche Bahn also promises to receive unrestricted entitlements from the previous pension system until the end of 2020. The railway expects “that the union will enter into negotiations immediately,” the statement said. “A collective agreement with the GDL is overdue. We have already done everything we can in the past few weeks to resolve this collective bargaining conflict as quickly as possible, ”said DB Human Resources Director Martin Seiler.
GDL had threatened another strike at Deutsche Bahn (DB)
Germany needs reliable rail traffic, said Seiler. “And our employees need secure prospects. We therefore urge the GDL to switch to negotiation mode now and come to a result quickly. There are viable solutions on the table, ”added the manager.
The GDL had set a deadline for Deutsche Bahn to submit a new tariff offer. If there is not a negotiable offer by the beginning of the week, the union will start preparing for the next labor dispute on Monday (13.09.2021), Weselsky had announced. The train drivers’ union had struck the rail passenger traffic for five days until last Tuesday (07.09.2021). (tvd / AFP)
List of rubric lists: © Wolfgang Kumm / dpa
