Germany rail strike causes significant travel chaos

Friday, December 8, 2023

A nationwide strike by train drivers at Germany’s national railway, Deutsche Bahn, has caused significant disruptions, impacting long-distance and regional trains, as well as commuter services in Berlin and Hamburg. The strike, initiated by the GDL trade union, began on Thursday evening and is expected to last for 24 hours, leading to thousands of cancellations.

This marks the fourth strike experienced by Deutsche Bahn in the current year, and it comes after a 20-hour disruption on November 15-16 that led to the cancellation of nearly 80% of all long-distance and regional trains. The ongoing dispute revolves around issues related to pay and working hours, leading to a breakdown in negotiations between the GDL and Deutsche Bahn.

The GDL’s demands include a reduction in the weekly work hours from 38 to 35 without a corresponding decrease in pay, a monthly salary increase of €555 ($600), and a one-time payment of €3,000 to offset inflation. Deutsche Bahn has firmly rejected the reduction in working hours, citing labor shortages, and has proposed an 11% raise for GDL drivers.

The strike has prompted criticism from Deutsche Bahn, with Human Resources Director Martin Seiler describing it as “irresponsible and selfish.” He emphasized that the GDL’s demands are considered unfulfillable, and the strike is deemed unnecessary. The German Civil Service Federation (dbb), an umbrella group for public-sector labor unions to which the GDL belongs, also expressed disapproval of the move.

Negotiations between the GDL and Deutsche Bahn collapsed on November 24, leading to a vote among GDL members on whether to escalate from temporary “warning strikes” to full-scale strikes. The results of the vote are anticipated shortly before Christmas, indicating the potential for prolonged labor unrest in the coming weeks.

Deutsche Bahn’s characterization of the strike as irresponsible underscores the challenges faced by both sides in finding a resolution to the contentious issues at hand. The disruption not only inconveniences passengers but also raises broader questions about labor relations and the balancing of demands in a critical sector of Germany’s transportation infrastructure.

« Back to Page

• German government and deutsche Bahn commit billions to rail revitalization

• Deutsche Bahn railways and GDL train drivers‘ union to halt further strike action

• German rail workers call off a 50-hour strike

• German rail strike today brings more chaos

• German rail strike will make travel standstill on Friday