The third strike in the ongoing wage dispute at Deutsche Bahn ended early Tuesday morning as scheduled. The German Locomotive Drivers Union (GDL) has confirmed that the labor dispute has ended, as announced, at 2 a.m. for the time being.
A spokeswoman for the railways said rail traffic in Germany was operating as usual again. The railroad also said it assumed the trains would run on the regular schedule again on Tuesday. Both sides announced a conclusion for the remainder of the day.
For more than five days, the strike severely restricted freight and passenger traffic in Germany. In the current collective bargaining dispute within the group, this was the longest string of strikes to date. However, the collective bargaining dispute has not yet been resolved.
Medium-sized companies have asked the federal government to intervene in the wage dispute at Deutsche Bahn. “Deutsche Bahn is a state-owned enterprise. That is why the federal government must now utter a word of power, ”said Federal Managing Director of the Federal Association of Medium-Sized Enterprises (BVMW), Markus Jerger of the media group Funke.
The economic damage caused by the strike is enormous. “The disruption of the supply chain in freight traffic alone is causing damages of 100 million euros – every day of strike action,” Jerger said. “If, in addition, lost sales and profits as well as contractual penalties are factored in, the costs can easily run into the billions.”
The GDL is fighting for more money and better working conditions for its members. It requires a total of 3.2% more money with a duration of 28 months and a corona premium of 600 euros. The railway had recently proposed a term of 36 months and accepted the corona premium.
FUNKE MEDIA