German train drivers announce 6th strike in pay dispute

Germany has faced strikes on several fronts, causing chaos for millions of travellers and adding to the country’s economic woes at a time of looming recession

By Reuters
March 11, 2024
ICE high-speed trains of Germanys railways operator Deutsch Bahn (background), a train of the Austrian railways operator OeBB (foreground) and a regional train (C) are parked on rail tracks in Munich, southern Germany, during a strike of rail workers on April 21, 2023. — AFP
ICE high-speed trains of Germany's railways operator Deutsch Bahn (background), a train of the Austrian railway's operator OeBB (foreground) and a regional train (C) are parked on rail tracks in Munich, southern Germany, during a strike of rail workers on April 21, 2023. — AFP

FRANKFURT: Train drivers from German rail company Deutsche Bahn announced a sixth round of strikes from Monday until Wednesday in a long-running dispute over pay.

Germany has faced strikes on several fronts, causing chaos for millions of travellers and adding to the country’s economic woes at a time of looming recession.

Drivers’ union GDL said late on Sunday that a 24-hour walkout at Deutsche Bahn’s cargo division would start from Monday at 1700 GMT while another 24-hour strike of passenger train drivers would begin on Tuesday morning at 0100 GMT.

Also this weekend, Lufthansa’s LHAG.DEcabin crew union called on its members to strike at Lufthansa and short-haul carrier CityLine on Tuesday and Wednesday to press their demands for higher pay.

In addition to pay raises, the union is calling for working hours to be reduced from 38 to 35 per week without a pay reduction, a demand which Deutsche Bahn has so far refused.

GDL argues that it would make working for the railway more attractive and help attract new recruits, while Deutsche Bahn says the union’s demands aren’t practical.