German Train Drivers’ Strike Hits Berlin Commuter Trains
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German Train Drivers’ Strike Hits Berlin Commuter Trains
Rail transport throughout Germany was severely disrupted Tuesday after a two-hour strike by train drivers that also hit suburban travelers in major cities, including the capital Berlin.
Com. Claus Weselsky, the head of drivers' trade union GDL, said late Monday train engineers would walk off the job between 6 to 8 am on Tuesday. The GDL union, which says it represents 75 percent of Germany's 26,000 train drivers, is pushing for a salary increase for Deutsche Bahn employees and for pay practices at the former monopoly to be brought into line with competitors.
The GDL union said earlier that it would take strike action as talks over wages with Deutsche Bahn AG have failed. The strike will end at 8 a.m. local time, according to oral information given to passengers.
Over the weekend, the GDL had informed to shut down the nation's railways if Deutsche Bahn and six other private train services failed to present an acceptable wage offer. The move will likely cripple commuter rail service across Germany during the morning rush hour.
"Both Deutsche Bahn and (the other rail operators) had enough time to offer us a negotiable offer in order to avoid a labour dispute," said Weselsky in a statement on Monday. "They didn't make use of it.
The union has demanded wage increases for some 26,000 regional, long-haul and freight train drivers. They are hoping to get 105 percent of the current average wage at Deutsche Bahn.
"Even after the warning strike ends, there will be delays into the evening, as it will take several hours to get the affected trains back to their correct positions," said Deutsche Bahn in a statement.
In 2007, GDL brought the country to a standstill with a series of strikes, at the time only at Deutsche Bahn.
So this brings up the question, what is the union asking for? Well apparently GDL is asking for the introduction of a single collective bargaining agreement for 26,000 train drivers. Pretty much, they want to make sure that everyone is getting equal pay and working conditions across all railway companies. GDL is also asking for a 5 percent pay rise from Germany’s biggest railway operator, Deutsche Bahn.The union will ballot members on an unlimited strike if their demands are not met.
More bad news for the travel industry in Germany as a German train drivers’ union says it is going to hold a warning strike across the country this week.
As a Trade Union in Indian Railways, We the STATION MASTERS’ ASSOCIATION 'AISMA' support the cause of the German Train Drivers and hope the German Government will take things seriously and settle their genuine demands amicably.
About the Author
John Vincent Kumar. Secretary General (www.aisma.in)
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