The action is over working conditions.
German train drivers have announced a last-minute strike, starting tonight. It will be the fourth strike this year.
Passenger services operated by Germany’s main train operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) will be disrupted from 10pm tonight (Thursday) until 10pm tomorrow night (Friday).
DB have warned passengers to expect “massive restrictions and cancellations”.
The strike has been called by the GDL union following the breakdown of talks with DB over pay and working hours.
Where will trains be disrupted?
DB operates trains throughout Germany.
Commuter trains in the cities of Berlin and Hamburg will be hit.
DB have said that their “long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services will be subject to delays and cancellations”
They said trains will be running according to a strike timetable which “only ensures a very limited basic service on DB’s long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services.
GDL’s strength among drivers and some other railway personnel varies regionally. In good news, some regional services run by private operators aren’t affected by the dispute.
You can check DB’s timetable here.
What is the advice to passengers?
The advice is essentially don’t take a DB train unless you absolutely have to.
Specifically DB has asked passengers: “Please refrain from unnecessary journeys during the GDL strike and postpone your journey to another time.”
Refunds: What are train passenger’s rights?
If your train is cancelled, you have various options, according to DB:
- As part of a “special arrangement” you can bring forward your journey and travel earlier today. DB recommends that you start your journey as early as possible so that you arrive at your destination in the early evening, as disruption is expected before the official start of the strike at 10 pm.
- You can postpone your journey and use your ticket at a later date of your choosing – there is no limit on when your ticket can be used.
- Seat reservations can be cancelled free of charge.
- If your train has been cancelled, you can get a full refund with no deductions.
You can find full details from Deutsche Bahn here.
Why is Germany’s train strike happening and could there be more?
Limited “warning strikes” are a common tactic in German pay negotiations, but GDL may soon expand its action. On 24 November, GDL chairman Claus Weselsky declared that negotiations with Deutsche Bahn had failed after only two rounds of talks.
The union has already started a ballot of its members on fully fledged strikes, and plans to announce the result on 19 December.
The central issue is the union’s call for shift workers’ hours to be reduced from 38 to 35 hours per week without a pay reduction, a demand at which employers so far have balked.
GDL is seeking a raise of €555 per month for employees plus a one-time payment of up to €3,000 to counter inflation. Deutsche Bahn has said it made an offer that amounts to an 11% raise.
ADVERTISEMENTA dispute between the railway operator and a rival union, the larger and traditionally less aggressive EVG, was settled earlier this year after both sides accepted a proposal by arbitrators.
The walkout follows a 20-hour strike on 16 November, when Deutsche Bahn ran a much-reduced long-distance schedule – as it has on previous occasions when GDL took industrial action.
Source: Euro News
