Get Prepared fortrain Woes Once More: Strikes on the Horizon for DB Travelers
Brace yourself for an additional inconvenience in your travel plans, as German Railways encounters another workers' dispute. This time, the German Train Drivers' Union (GDL) has declared strikes for the fourth time in 2023, scheduled to coincide with the winter weather and the holiday season. The strikes will commence at 10 p.m. on a Thursday evening and conclude at the same time the next day. Expect disruptions not only during the strike period but also before and after it. Deutsche Bahn (DB) anticipates significant impacts during this period, and they will keep their customers updated about the disruptions, implementing a make-shift timetable with limited service during the strike.
Joining DB workers in the strike are S-Bahn employees in Berlin and Hamburg, freight transportation companies such as Transdev, AKN, and City-Bahn Chemnitz, among others. Freight transportation strikes are slated to begin at 6 p.m. on the same Thursday evening. The strike on Friday, typically a busy travel day, is likely to cause difficulties for numerous travelers, who may have to reschedule their trips or use their tickets at a later date. DB assures its customers that they can cancel their reservations for free due to the strike.
GDL Union Pressure Tactics
The German Train Drivers' Union (GDL) intends to strengthen its position in the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations with this strike action. Their primary demand is a reduction in shift workers' weekly working hours. The union criticizes the unwillingness of the employer side to recognize and appreciate the work of their employees sufficiently.
Passengers can find some reassurance in the knowledge that there will be no further warning strikes until January 2024 and the holiday season will be spared from industrial action. “We will conduct this strike action on a specific Thursday and Friday, and it will be the last one for this year,” said GDL boss Weselsky on Wednesday evening on MDR-aktuell. “Then comes the ballot and the count on December 19. And there will be no more industrial action, not even in the first week of January.”
Criticism of Short Notice
The announcement of the strike at short notice drew criticism from the passenger association Pro Bahn. “We criticize the short notice. We would like it to be announced two days in advance so passengers can prepare for the strike properly,” said national chairman Detlef Neuß.
Protests by the Strikers
Strikers' protests are scheduled in Frankfurt, Cologne, and Munich, where GDL members will campaign for their demands at the ongoing wage negotiations for the public service of the federal states. The same applies to the railroads as to the public sector, said Ulrich Silberbach, Chairman of the German Civil Service Association. “If you want to attract and retain qualified specialists, you have to offer attractive and competitive working conditions.”
Criticism from Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn condemned the strike as “irresponsible and selfish.” Martin Seiler, member of the Deutsche Bahn Board of Management for Human Resources, considered the timing and reasons for the strike to be unreasonable.
The union's demands include a reduction in weekly working hours from the current 38 hours to 35 hours with full pay compensation. Deutsche Bahn dismissed this as impractical given the current shortage of skilled workers. The union also seeks a one-year wage increase of 555 euros and an inflation bonus of 3000 euros. DB has presented an offer involving a 11% wage hike and an inflation bonus of up to 2850 euros spread out over a period of 32 months. The GDL is currently conducting a ballot among its members to determine further strikes, with the results set to be announced before Christmas.
The Previous GDL Strike at Deutsche Bahn
The GDL strike at Deutsche Bahn in November 2023 was mainly due to a wage dispute and the demand for a shorter workweek. Key reasons and impacts included wage dispute (rejected 10.5% pay hike, fought for in strikes), shorter workweek (demand for 35-hour workweek, Deutsche Bahn citing insufficient engineers), significant impact on passengers (approximately 80% rail traffic halted, passengers losing an estimated billion euros), and previous strikes (January 2024 strike also planned, marked by disruptions and economic costs).
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The current labor dispute between Deutsche Bahn and the German Locomotive Drivers' Union (GDL) has resulted in several strikes, causing disruptions in rail traffic.
The strikes, which began at 10 p.m. on specific days, had significant impacts on travelers due to cancellation of trains and disruptions in services.
Deutsche Bahn criticized the strikes as "irresponsible and selfish," highlighting the short notice given to passengers. The GDL recognized the impact of the strikes on the public and decided to limit the number of strikes in the future.
During the strikes, passengers often relied on alternative transportation options such as S-Bahn, regional trains, car-sharing services, and ride-hailing apps to mitigate the inconvenience caused by the industrial action.
