Is there a risk of chaos at Deutsche Bahn? There is probably another escalation in the collective bargaining conflict with the train drivers’ union GDL. Ironically, during the summer vacation time. Travelers should know that by now.
Berlin – delays, waiting times and train cancellations: the next few weeks could be difficult for rail customers. The Union of German Locomotive Drivers (GDL) is pushing ahead with your strike plans. The ballot in which the members decide on the labor dispute ended on Monday.
Today, Tuesday, GDL boss Claus Weselsky wants to present the result at a press conference. He expects an agreement of more than 90 percent. It is still unclear when the strike could take place.
Weselsky has already threatened several times that he is expecting a longer strike. In the Süddeutsche Zeitung on Friday, he affirmed: “It was clear from the start: We are not just about pinpricks.” “We expect the workforce to say ‘yes’ to the labor dispute.” The mood among the employees is bad.
Bahn personnel manager: “Nobody really needs this strike now”
Deutsche Bahn again called on the union to negotiate again. “Nobody really needs this strike now,” criticized the company’s HR manager, Martin Seiler. “Ultimately, this is an attack on the whole country.” After the corona restrictions, many people are only now starting to travel again.
However, the collective bargaining round between the railway and the union is stuck. Both sides accuse each other of spreading untruths and having no interest in negotiations.
It would be the first strike at the railways since December 2018, when the Railway and Transport Union (EVG) called on its members to take part in a labor dispute. The GDL strike in 2014 and 2015 was much harder. In nine months, the GDL organized a total of nine multi-day, nationwide strikes at the railways. The strike in May 2015 lasted six days, it was the longest in the history of DB. The collective bargaining dispute ended at that time an arbitration.
Deutsche Bahn: When does the GDL strike begin?
It is still unclear when exactly the strike will start. Wednesday afternoon is being discussed as a possible start. The head of the train drivers’ union GDL Claus Weselsky threatened a strike from August 10th. Announced a tough argument in advance. It is still unclear how long the first wave of strikes could last.
“The GDL will not call for warning strikes of a few hours or a day,” can be read on the GDL website. That is why the union called for a ballot. The union wants to announce concrete plans by Tuesday at the latest.
Strike at Deutsche Bahn – travelers need to know that now
Travelers should prepare for a possible strike in the next week and look for alternatives such as rental cars, buses or flights. In any case, it is important to follow the news. Trains can be surprising. Anyone who has planned a trip with children should be particularly attentive or rather postpone the trip altogether.
Rail strike: Refund / exchange due to delay or cancellation of the train
- If there is an expected delay of at least 20 minutes at the destination, travelers can also rebook tickets for a train. Take another – more expensive train route, for example an ICE. You can find more information at Bahn.de.
Anyone stranded in a city should have their corona vaccination certificate on hand. In some federal states, unvaccinated people have to show a negative rapid antigen test. This applies to Bavaria, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony-Anhalt and Schleswig-Holstein. In North Rhine-Westphalia, this applies to districts with a 7-day incidence of 10. You can find all information about the corona situation in Germany here. (dpa / afp / ml)
List of rubric lists: © Wolfram Kastl / dpa
