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Matthias Platzeck
Photo: Soeren Stache / dpa
In the wage dispute between Deutsche Bahn and the union of German locomotive drivers (GDL), Brandenburg's former Prime Minister Matthias Platzeck (SPD) can act as the sole and joint arbitrator.
After the railway had named Platzeck a week ago, the union has now also accepted him.
"We already got to know and appreciate Mr. Platzeck as a fair, competent and reliable arbitrator in the last two arbitrations at DB", said GDL boss Claus Weselsky.
The arbitration will begin on October 22, 2020 in Berlin and will last three weeks.
Deutsche Bahn wants to dampen the increase in personnel costs because income has collapsed in the Corona crisis.
She has already agreed a tariff with the Railway and Transport Union (EVG).
It provides for comparatively small increases in income.
The GDL had refused negotiations.
However, it is contractually obliged to arbitrate.
The GDL committees want to discuss their demands on Friday in Fulda, as the union in Frankfurt announced.
The core issues are the "Covid 19" restructuring collective agreement, higher wages, better working hours and the safety of train staff.
The arbitration begins on October 22, 2020 in Berlin and lasts three weeks.
GDL sees itself as a "protective shield for direct personnel"
Bahn and EVG had already agreed in May that, despite the corona pandemic, no jobs should be cut.
At the time, the GDL did not respond to a corresponding call for an alliance.
In view of the structural problems that already existed before the Corona crisis, the railway did not justify, from the union's point of view, "why the train staff should tighten their belts."
According to Weselsky, the GDL sees itself as a "protective shield for direct personnel, especially train personnel" and under this premise does everything to ensure that the arbitration can be successfully concluded.
"Even during the pandemic, the direct staff kept train traffic reliably and punctually in Germany around the clock and is still heavily burdened," said Weselsky.
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dab / dpa / AFP
