Berlin – It’s not good news for people who want to travel by train or take the S-Bahn to work every day. The way things are, there will be another warning strike at Deutsche Bahn in the not too distant future.
The 3.2 percent wage demand of the train drivers’ union GDL is moderate. Even the demand for a corona bonus can hardly be dismissed as class struggle hubris, other companies have already made several additional payments of this kind. It is also not surprising that the GDL also demands that company pensions be waived.
It is factors outside of the actual wage dispute that give this dispute its sharpness. It’s about power not only for DB, but also for GDL competition EVG. Both have long been suspected of working too closely together at times. Union leaders have got well paid jobs at Deutsche Bahn, while the EVG is loyal to the federal company when it comes to fending off demands for structural changes. If the railway came too much towards the GDL now, the finely balanced balance of power and loyalty would be in danger.
When it comes to the next warning strike, GDL boss Weselsky does not need to carry the train drivers and train attendants to hunt. For years, the operational employees at the grassroots level have had to pay for the fact that the management cannot get the problems in the core business under control. The federal government has allowed DB to get bogged down for too long, while the rate of delays is increasing every year. The high level of willingness to strike at Deutsche Bahn shows that many things have gone fundamentally wrong. There is much to be done for the future federal government. Until then, passengers will have to endure further warning strikes.
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