Train Driver's Union Sets Final Strike Date for 2022
After three weeks of tension, including a nationwide warning strike from Thursday night to Friday night, the GDL, the train drivers' union, announced another short notice strike. Claus Weselsky, their head honcho, wanted to give travelers a break heading into the new year. "We will now execute this strike action on Thursday and Friday, and it will be the last one for this year," Weselsky said to MDR-aktuell. The ballot and the count are set for December 19. No more industrial action will occur until January 7, according to Weselsky, eliminating the threat of further warning strikes in that period.
The GDL declared the wage negotiations with Deutsche Bahn a failure following the second round of negotiations. The 24-hour warning strike, which was announced abruptly, is planned to commence at 10 p.m. for passenger transport and 6 p.m. for freight transport.
Martin Seiler, a member of Deutsche Bahn's board responsible for personnel, called the strike "irresponsible and selfish." The last rail strike occurred on November 15 and 16, leading to the cancellation of approximately 80% of scheduled long-distance journeys and drastic impacts on regional services in some federal states.
The GDL is demanding a reduction in the working week from 38 to 35 hours with the same pay in their new collective agreement, along with an expanded scope of application at Deutsche Bahn and collective agreements for work areas where they currently don't have any. The ballot, launched at the same time, is still ongoing, with results expected on December 19. Indefinite strikes are possible if 75% of the ballot participants vote in favor of such industrial action.
Notably, the German Locomotive Drivers' Union (GDL) does not have an explicit no-strike guarantee in the sources at hand. However, the current collective agreement between Deutsche Bahn and the Railway and Transport Union (EVG) is active until February 2026, with provisions to avoid strikes by securing wage increases and job security until December 2027. The GDL's most recent collective agreement without labor action was secured in 2016, and their next warning strike in the rail sector isn't anticipated until March of the following year.
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