GDL calls for members to vote on railway strikes
19.29 hrs: Following their nationwide warning strike, the train drivers’ union GDL has initiated a vote on longer and more frequent strikes. The union called on Friday for its members at Deutsche Bahn, Transdev, City-Bahn Chemnitz and eight personnel service providers to vote. “We expect our members to give a clear answer to the employers’ delaying tactics,” said GDL chairman Claus Weselsky.
Both sides were supposed to continue their collective bargaining negotiations in Berlin on Thursday, but the railway canceled the talks due to the strike.
The union stated that they were “also ready to negotiate in Berlin on Friday” in the evening. The Deutsche Bahn had once again “refused” negotiations. “In short, the employers are maneuvering and ignoring their employees’ fight for improvements in working hours,” the GDL explained with regards to their core demand of reducing the weekly working hours.
Regular timetable back in effect at the railway – warning strike ended
04.00 hrs: After the warning strike by the Locomotive Drivers’ Union (GDL), the Deutsche Bahn intends to operate according to the regular timetable from this Friday onwards. This applies to long-distance and regional traffic from Friday morning, said a spokeswoman. “Since we expect more passengers than usual even after the end of the GDL strike, we recommend seat reservations for long-distance travel,” the spokeswoman explained.
In order to be able to fulfill the regular offering on Friday, the emergency timetable had to remain in place throughout long-distance and parts of regional traffic even after the warning strike ended on Thursday at 6 p.m. This would ensure a smooth start of operations on Friday morning.
Train drivers, conductors, workshop employees, and traffic controllers were called to participate in the warning strike from Wednesday evening, 10 p.m., until Thursday, 6 p.m. A heavily reduced timetable was in place.
In the S-Bahn and regional traffic in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, many routes experienced cancellations, while other lines operated every two hours. Trains of other railway companies, such as the Middle Rhine Railway, which operates the regional line RB 26 between Mainz and Cologne, were also affected.
Warning strike planned at the University Hospital Kiel
Friday, November 17, 03.30 hrs: In the wage dispute in the public service of the federal states, the Verdi union has called for a warning strike by employees of the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) in Kiel for Friday. “We expect restrictions in routine work and in scheduled appointments at the UKSH,” said Manuel Gellenthin, the district manager of the Verdi district Kiel-Plön. However, emergency care will be ensured.
Verdi demands a 10.5% wage increase for employees in the public service of the federal states, but at least an additional 500 euros per month. Junior staff should receive an additional 200 euros and trainees should be permanently employed.
Over 8000 teachers in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern called to a warning strike
19.24 hrs: The teachers’ union GEW has announced a warning strike at schools, vocational schools, and universities in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on November 28. About 8100 of the more than 13,400 teachers at schools and vocational schools are not civil servants and thus called to the warning strike, the union announced on Thursday.
The background is the ongoing collective bargaining for the Public Service.Lands. The 28th November is reportedly set to be a national “education strike day” according to GEW.
Since the 26th of October, the unions have been in wage negotiation with the collective bargaining agreement of the countries. So far, the employers have not presented an offer according to GEW and have rejected the unions’ demands. They are demanding a 10.5 percent raise, or at least 500 Euros, a duration of twelve months, and a collective agreement for student employees at universities.
GDL Strikes End – Operations Resume
18:08: The 20-hour strike by GDL has officially ended. Train operations resumed at 18:00, as confirmed by a GDL spokesperson. However, passengers should still expect some disruptions in train services later in the evening and night. It is only at the start of operations early Friday morning that nationwide passenger services are expected to run smoothly. The freight transport may still be affected in the coming days, as stated by the railway prior to the end of the strike.
Strikes in Lower Saxony – Tranquil Situation at the Train Stations
17:02: Travelers and commuters were prepared for the one-day strike by the German Train Drivers’ Union (GDL). Train services in Lower Saxony were greatly limited on Thursday and many train stations were quiet. “We have a tranquil situation at train stations across the country,” said a Deutsche Bahn spokesperson on Thursday. “It is all manageable, as it was announced.” Many passengers had informed themselves early. The emergency timetable also applies to Lower Saxony and Bremen, which means that some trains are operating.
It was already apparent in the afternoon that even after the end of the strike in the evening, passengers would still need to be patient. According to the company spokesperson, some employees and commuters had not even started their journeys.
Prior to the beginning of the strike, the railway expected several affected routes in regional transportation in Lower Saxony and Bremen. Due to a shortage of bus capacity, substitute bus services could not be arranged at such short notice, as stated on the railway’s website. However, three buses were arranged for shuttle services between Cadenberge and Stade on the route between Cuxhaven and Hamburg.
Operations at Metronom and Enno are running with minimal strike-related impacts, as mentioned on the company’s website. “We recommend all passengers to allocate more time for the journey and to obtain information through the known digital information media before starting the journey,” advised the regional train. Due to a collision between an ICE and a maintenance train at Lauenbrück (Rotenburg district) on Wednesday, there were delays and cancellations on the Hamburg – Bremen route.
The Westfalenbahn reported disruptions and requested thorough information before starting the journey. As a result, a bus emergency service was set up in the morning on the sections Leer – Emden and Emden – Emden Außenhafen, as stated on the homepage.
GDL has been on strike since Wednesday evening, 22:00, and the strike was scheduled to end on Thursday evening at 18:00. This is the first industrial action by the union in the still young wage dispute, and negotiations have only taken place once. The railway has canceled the second round of negotiations originally planned for Thursday and Friday.
In the negotiations, GDL is demanding an additional 555 Euros per month and an inflation compensation bonus with a duration of twelve months. The union also wants to enforce a reduction of working hours for shift workers from 38 to 35 hours per week with full wage compensation as a core demand.
In the first round of negotiations, Deutsche Bahn presented its own offer, including a salary increase.von elf Prozents für 32 Monate geplant. Arbeitszeit ist in der Offerte nicht enthalten.
Bahnstreik in NRW: Viele Züge fallen aus
08.43 Uhr: Viele Züge in Nordrhein-Westfalen sind am Donnerstagmorgen aufgrund des bundesweiten Warnstreiks bei der Deutschen Bahn ausgefallen. Nach Aussage eines Bahnsprechers müssen Reisende trotz des zuvor gestarteten Notfallplans mit erheblichen Beeinträchtigungen rechnen. Neben dem Fernverkehr sind auch der Regionalverkehr und die S-Bahnen von dem Arbeitskampf stark betroffen.
Der Bahnsprecher berichtete von einer vergleichsweise ruhigen Situation an den Bahnhöfen. Die meisten Passagiere seien darauf vorbereitet gewesen. Am Kölner Hauptbahnhof war es entsprechend ruhig. Einem Fotografen der dpa zufolge standen keine Menschen an der DB-Information. Niemand schien dort offensichtlich überrascht von dem Warnstreik worden zu sein, so sagte er.
Streik in Niedersachsen: Viele Fahrtgäste haben sich vorher informiert
08.39 Uhr: Der Warnstreik der Gewerkschaft Deutscher Lokomotivführer (GDL) hat am Donnerstagmorgen den Bahnverkehr in Niedersachsen stark eingeschränkt. Eine Konzernsprecherin sagte am Morgen, dass es an vielen Bahnhöfen ruhig sei, da sich viele Fahrgäste im Voraus informiert hätten. Der Notfahrplan sei auch für Niedersachsen und Bremen gestartet worden.
Ein dpa-Fotograf am Hauptbahnhof in Hannover bestätigte diesen Eindruck. Es sei deutlich ruhiger als üblich, aber es gebe auch keine langen Schlangen an den Informationsständen. Die Bahn hatte bereits vor Beginn des Streiks mit zahlreichen betroffenen Strecken im Regionalverkehr in Niedersachsen und Bremen gerechnet.
Die Bahn informierte auf einer Infoseite im Internet, dass aufgrund fehlender Buskapazitäten kein Ersatzverkehr mit Bussen so kurzfristig eingerichtet werden konnte. Zwischen Cadenberge und Stade seien drei Busse im Pendelverkehr auf der Strecke zwischen Cuxhaven und Hamburg eingesetzt worden.
„Es fährt so gut wie nichts“: Streik legt Mitteldeutschland lahm
08.22 Uhr: In Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt und Thüringen ist am Donnerstag mit erheblichen Einschränkungen im Bahnverkehr zu rechnen. Ein Sprecher der Deutschen Bahn sagte am Donnerstagmorgen: „Es fährt so gut wie nichts.“ Die Gewerkschaft Deutscher Lokomotivführer (GDL) hatte zu einem 20-stündigen Warnstreik bei der Deutschen Bahn aufgerufen.
Die Region Mitteldeutschland ist aufgrund des hohen Organisationsgrades der GDL besonders stark betroffen. Daher ist vor allem im Regionalverkehr der Deutschen Bahn mit zahlreichen Ausfällen zu rechnen. Der regionale Bahnverkehr privater Anbieter wie Abellio in Sachsen-Anhalt bleibt unbeeinträchtigt. Die wenigen Züge im Fernverkehr über Leipzig und Erfurt sind laut der Deutschen Bahn sehr stark ausgelastet.
Die Deutsche Bahn empfiehlt Reisenden, ihre Reisen zu verschieben oder darauf zu verzichten. Tickets können kostenlos zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt eingelöst oder umgetauscht werden.
Mehr Informationen zu den Warnstreiks auf den nächsten Seiten
