Chaos and cancellation of many trains in Germany due to the strike of locomotive drivers

According to the report of the international group Tasnim news agency quoting The German Locomotive Union (GDL) has been on a warning strike since Wednesday night to protest their wages and working conditions, which has led to a lot of chaos, German publication Focus reports. Despite providing an emergency timetable, Deutsche Bahn (the railway company) advised citizens to refrain from travel. Many trains were also canceled in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia on Thursday morning. According to a railway spokesperson, although the emergency plan issued earlier has been initiated accordingly, passengers should expect severe disruptions. In addition to long-distance transport, this industrial dispute also has serious effects on regional transport and S-Bahn trains.

There is a relatively calm situation in the train stations. Most travelers have adapted to these conditions. All was quiet at Cologne Central Station early Thursday morning.

A warning strike by the German Locomotive Drivers’ Union (GDL) also severely restricted rail traffic in Lower Saxony. The spokesperson of the railway company said this morning: Of course, many train stations seem to be deserted because many passengers have been informed of the existing conditions. An emergency timetable is also in place for Lower Saxony and Bremen.

There are also significant restrictions on rail transport on Thursday in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. has it. “Almost nothing is going well,” a Deutsche Bahn spokesman told the German news agency Thursday morning. The German Locomotive Union (GDL) has called for a 20-hour warning strike at Deutsche Bahn.

The Central German region has been particularly affected by these strikes because the level of organization GDL is very high here. Therefore, a large number of cancellations can be expected, especially on Deutsche Bahn’s regional transport in this region. According to Deutsche Bahn, a few long-distance trains in this region were also affected by these strikes. Postpone or give up. Tickets can be redeemed or exchanged later for free.

The emergency timetable is valid until Thursday evening (6pm). The GDL has called for a 20-hour warning strike to emphasize its demand for higher wages and shorter working hours. The railways described the strike warning as “totally unnecessary” and an imposition on rail passengers. had canceled GDL’s strike warning, the train drivers’ union accused the company of refusing to do so. “It is clearly the railway board that has no interest in a solution on the negotiating table,” explained GDL President Klaus Weselski on Wednesday.

German Railways GDL began collective bargaining talks last week and agreed on several negotiation dates. The railways submitted an offer which included an eleven percent wage increase and an inflation bonus of up to €2,850 over a 32-month period. But the railways did not offer to reduce working hours as requested by GDL.

GDL at least €555 more money for a year, €3,000 inflation bonus, more allowance for shift work And as a core demand, it calls for a four-day, 35-hour week with full wage compensation for shift workers. The union found the railroad’s offer inadequate and called for a warning strike, primarily to get the railroad to negotiate reduced hours.

The railroad then negotiated more. It canceled collective bargaining originally scheduled for Thursday. “You either attack or negotiate, it’s not possible to do both at the same time,” said Martin Seiler, director of human resources at Deutsche Bahn, explaining this decision.

In Berlin and Brandenburg, a warning strike by the German Locomotive Drivers’ Union (GDL) stopped almost all traffic in the region. A DB spokesperson told the German news agency that there are currently only some journeys. The railway is offering replacement buses on separate routes.

The strike also led to severe restrictions on regional rail transport in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. .

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