In the course of the collective bargaining dispute, the German Railways and Transport Association (EVG) is sticking to the planned 50-hour warning strike on the railways from Sunday evening. The union announced this on Friday afternoon. The state-owned Deutsche Bahn passed an ultimatum for a new bid. So it is very likely that the train will be on strike for 50 hours from Sunday evening. This would also have a huge impact on Austrian rail traffic.
The railway employees want to shut down train traffic throughout Germany from Sunday evening 10 p.m. to Tuesday evening 12 a.m. as planned. It would be the longest strike in the current collective bargaining dispute. Deutsche Bahn had already announced on Thursday that all long-distance traffic would be halted in the event of a strike. Almost all regional trains are also expected to be cancelled.
ÖBB advises against traveling to Germany
“We ask all affected travelers to postpone unnecessary travel to Germany or to choose alternative travel options,” the ÖBB writes in a broadcast. The details of the timetable changes are gradually updated in the ÖBB timetable information SCOTTY.
Day traffic between Salzburg and Tyrol affected via the Deutsches Eck
However, it is already clear that intra-Austrian day traffic between Salzburg and Tyrol via the Deutsches Eck is affected by the restrictions. According to the ÖBB, RJ/RJX trains that run via the Deutsches Eck according to the timetable are diverted into rail replacement services with buses (valid travel document required). The trains end and start in Salzburg and Kufstein/Wörgl main station. As a further replacement measure, there will be a diversion service through Austria with trains every two hours between Salzburg and Wörgl main station. “For both routes, a travel time extension of two hours is expected,” expects ÖBB.
Night trains are also affected
According to ÖBB, night trains (Nightjet and EuroNight) are also affected by the strike measures. “There will be glitches, partial glitches, and diversions.” From the night of Sunday to Monday, the night trains to/from Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and France could not run. The Nightjet to Paris will not take place in the night from Saturday to Sunday. Only in the night from Wednesday to Thursday is night train traffic possible again as planned. Local trains run partly as rail replacement services. According to the ÖBB, rail freight transport to and from Germany should also be stopped.
Controversy over the statutory minimum wage
The sticking point in the German collective labor agreement dispute is the issue of the statutory minimum wage. About 2,000 employees at Deutsche Bahn currently only receive this through allowances. The union wants to ensure that it is laid down in the rate tables before substantive negotiations, so that all subsequent agreements can refer to it. Although the railways have already made concessions to the EVG on this point, the union believes that detailed questions remain unresolved.
Source: Krone
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