The train drivers’ union GDL and Deutsche Bahn reached an agreement in their months-long pay dispute on Monday evening. This could have prevented further strikes. Details will be announced Tuesday morning, as the GDL announced.
A statement from Human Resources Director Martin Seiler (Deutsche Bahn) “on the current status of the collective bargaining round” was also announced for Tuesday. The latest talks came after six labor disputes, a failed moderation and a legal dispute.
There was a difference in weekly working hours for shift workers. While the GDL demanded a reduction from 38 to 35 hours per week with the same pay, the railway agreed to 36 hours with full wage compensation. However, this offer provided for two steps until 2028. The union led by chairman Claus Weselsky rejected this.
Collective agreements that are also concluded without an agreement
The union has already concluded collective agreements with more than twenty other railway companies that stipulate the 35-hour working week. The condition is that the railway also agrees to such a deal. Otherwise, existing contracts would be adjusted accordingly.
What the concrete agreement now looks like will only be known on Tuesday. It was previously said that the negotiations were intensive but also constructive.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
