The EVG asks the industry for 650 euros more per month or 12 percent for the upper income with a term of 12 months.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin Deutsche Bahn still wants to take legal action to prevent the planned 50-hour warning strike on the rails. The state-owned group announced on Saturday morning that it had submitted a corresponding urgent application to the labor court in Frankfurt am Main. The nationwide warning strike by the railway and transport union (EVG) was disproportionate and harmful to customers and uninvolved third parties, it was said to be the reason.
Although the railways have offered more than 10 percent wage increases and have approached the union several times, they are sticking to the walkout from Sunday evening. The urgent application to the court is “in the interests of the customers now necessary,” said the DB. The application was received, confirmed the court of the German Press Agency. The hearing was scheduled to begin on Saturday afternoon.
From Sunday, 10:00 p.m., the EVG called for the third warning strike on the railways this year and will once again paralyze rail traffic. Shortly after the announcement, Deutsche Bahn decided that it would completely stop long-distance traffic for the period of the walkout. In regional and freight traffic, there will probably be hardly any trains between 10 p.m. on Sunday evening and midnight on Tuesday evening.
Since the EVG has also called on employees in signal boxes to walk out, it is likely that railway companies will also be hit that are currently not negotiating with the EVG. The EVG and 50 railway companies have been arguing about new collective agreements since the end of February, and negotiations are stalling. The collective bargaining round affects 230,000 employees, 180,000 of whom work for Deutsche Bahn.
According to strike researcher Alexander Gallas, the 50-hour strike is the longest warning strike at Deutsche Bahn since its reform in 1994. However, warning strikes lasting one to two days are quite common in other sectors, says Gallas, a scientist at the University of Kassel. “50 hours is a short and clearly defined period.
Little understanding in the population
But the effects are very noticeable for the population. That’s why it works for a long time.” Gallas considers the warning strike to be proportionate compared to other industries.
However, according to a survey, every fourth citizen in Germany has “no understanding at all” for the walkout. In contrast, 19 percent of those questioned in the survey by the opinion research institute Yougov on behalf of the German Press Agency showed full understanding for the industrial dispute.
In addition, 26 percent said that they “rather understand” for the action in the current wage conflict, also 26 percent have “rather no understanding”. 5 percent of those surveyed did not provide any information.
The EVG is negotiating with the 50 railway companies about new collective agreements for 230,000 employees, 180,000 of whom work for Deutsche Bahn. The EVG asks the industry for 650 euros more per month or 12 percent for the upper income with a term of 12 months.
Among other things, Deutsche Bahn has promised tax- and duty-free one-off payments as well as gradual increases of 10 percent for the lower and middle income groups and 8 percent for the upper income groups. There is disagreement about a minimum wage, which has so far only been paid in the form of allowances for around 2,000 employees.
Train strike in England partially paralyzes train services
The railways were also on strike in England. Because of the strike, travelers there had to accept significant restrictions on Saturday. The railway workers’ union RMT had called for industrial action at 14 operators.
Among other things, the express connections between London and Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports as well as many other connections throughout the country were affected. The railway operators warned that there would be “few or no connections” on large parts of the route network and also warned of disruptions on the following days.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper accused the union of “cynically” targeting the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. While operations at local transport company Mersey Rail were unaffected by the strike, travel from more distant parts of the country is likely to be impacted by the strikes.
More: Deutsche Bahn stops long-distance traffic completely for two days