{"id":16465,"date":"2024-03-01T19:46:18","date_gmt":"2024-03-01T09:46:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=50474"},"modified":"2024-03-01T19:46:18","modified_gmt":"2024-03-01T09:46:18","slug":"db-vs-gdl-negotiations-failed-new-strikes-on-the-horizon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=16465","title":{"rendered":"DB vs GDL: negotiations failed, new strikes on the horizon?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between Deutsche Bahn (DB) and the German Union of Locomotive Drivers (GDL) seems to have taken another wrong turn. GDL accused DB of leaking confidential information to German media. On the other hand, the German company is saying that the union is \u201cletting the negotiations collapse\u201d. A new wave of strikes might once again be upon in the German rail sector.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Negotiations resumed<\/a> at the end of January, after GDL called a week-long strike<\/a>. The parties agreed to not have any public communication about the issue or any new strike until negotiations would have ended on 3 March. However, the union is now complaining about an article published on German media BILD on 29 February mentioning that negotiations failed. Even though the article did not disclose who the sources of this information were, GDL accused DB. \u201cThis information was deliberately leaked by DB management in order to then pin it on the union side\u201d, they said.<\/p>\n

A few minutes after the BILD article was published, DB came out with a press release stating that GDL is not showing any flexibility in the negotiations for a new CBA. DB claimed that the union is being dogmatic about their request for a 35-hour work week, which the company does not consider possible. In GDL\u2019s proposal, workers would go from the current 38 working hours per week to 35 in the span of three years, losing one weekly working hour every year. This, according to DB, is not feasible because of \u201cdemographic and a shortage of skilled workers\u201d. In other words, a significant amount of the workforce will retire over the next decade and replacing them seems to be quite a difficult task.<\/p>\n

GDl vs DB: a recap<\/h2>\n

Tensions first rose in November, when negotiations for a new CBA between GDL and DB took a wrong turn and resulted in a 20-hour long industrial action<\/a>. The second strike was called for early December<\/a> and lasted 28 hours. Things escalated in January, with GDL calling a first three-day strike<\/a> between 9-12 January and this most recent one only two weeks later. DB tried to take the trade union to two courts, claiming GDL\u2019s inability to negotiate. Both times, the courts ruled against DB<\/a>. The latest round of negotiations kept players in check for a month, but, as the deadline approaches and an agreement still seems far, the risk of new strikes may be looming over German railways. More information is expected to be provided next week, with GDL organising a press conference for Monday 4 March.<\/p>\n

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