Drivers of the German public company Deutsche Bahn have been on strike for 6 days since Wednesday. They are mainly asking for a reduction in their weekly working hours, without loss of salary.
It could be Germany’s longest rail strike ever : Deutsche Bahn railway workers have submitted a notice period from Wednesday January 24, 2 p.m. until Monday, January 29, 6 p.m.
GDL, the main train drivers’ union, is calling for increase to 35 hours of work per week, compared to 38 currently, without loss of salary. Deutsche Bahn offers them 37 hours of work per week.
“This is exactly the same wage agreement that we have concluded with 18 other railway companies in Germany“, explains Philipp Grams, spokesperson for the union, about the 35-hour week.
With tens of thousands of passengers potentially impacted by the strike, in addition to freight transport, Deutsche Bahn says it wanted to avoid the social movement and its disastrous consequences for the German and European economies.
A tense social context across the Rhine
Unaccustomed to social movements, Germany has recently experienced several national strikes. Farmers, general practitionersand now rail transport, the social context is particularly tense in the country.
German passengers will for the moment have to be patient until Monday, the announced date of the end of the train drivers’ strike, if no salary agreement is concluded by then.
