Strikes at Deutsche Bahn railway hamper travel across Germany

Dana Forsythe
·2 min read
UPI
Strikes at the national railway company of Germany, Deutsche Bahn AG, have caused massive delays along the train's long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services across the country and are expected to continue. Photo by Anna Szilágyi/EPA-EFE

Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Strikes at the national railway company of Germany, Deutsche Bahn AG, have caused massive delays along the train's long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services across the country and are expected to continue.

The Union of German Train Drivers (GDL) announced strike action for the period through Friday.

In a statement on Wednesday, the DB said the actions would cause massive disruptions.

"The emergency timetable only ensures very limited train services on DB's long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services," the statement reads. "Please refrain from unnecessary journeys during the GDL strike and postpone your journey to another time."

DB issued guidance for passengers who had previously bought tickets for travel through Friday. Passengers can postpone their journey and use tickets at a later date, using any train the DB runs.

"The ticket will be valid for the journey to the original destination, even if the route is different. Seat reservations can be canceled free of charge," the statement read. "You can cancel your journey and receive a full refund of the full fare for your ticket without any deductions."

The GDL union has voted overwhelmingly to fully-fledged strikes, beginning with 24-hour warning strike on Dec. 8. The train workers union is seeking a reduction in hours for shift workers without a pay reduction. In total, the GDL is seeking a raise of just over $600 per month, plus a one-time payment of $3,200 to combat inflation.

The GDL union represents some 40,000 employees compared to Germany's main railway union, Eisenbahn-und Verkehrsgewerkschaft, or EVG, which has about four times as many members and represents train drivers and service and administrative staff.

On Thursday, the GDL expanded their strike to RTB Cargo.

"The GDL members at RTB CARGO have to take to the streets to fight for collective bargaining conditions that have long been a reality for the majority of railway workers," said GDL federal chairman Claus Weselsky. "These include: binding shift schedules and free time, social Protective provisions and market-based remuneration."

This comes as farmers in Germany have been blocking roads and highways with convoys of tractors and marching through major cities in a bid to pressure the government, according to CNBC.

The farmers are protesting the government's plans to reduce or withdraw tax breaks for the agriculture sector, which were announced in late December as part of the country's 2024 budget.