As of: March 5, 2024, 8:09 p.m
By: Bona Hyun
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Criticism of Wissing after a statement about GDL tariff dispute between GDL and Deutsche Bahn.
© Wolf von Dewitz/dpa
In the tariff dispute with Deutsche Bahn, Wissing is trying to contain GDL boss Weselsky - and also mentions the economic consequences.
An expert classifies the statements.
Berlin – Strike instead of agreement: The GDL again wants to shut down its work in the collective bargaining dispute with Deutsche Bahn.
This also has economic consequences.
Employees have difficulty getting to work and business trips have to be rescheduled.
According to the company, each day of the strike costs the railway 25 million euros, according to
Deutschlandfunk.
In addition, delays in the delivery of goods and raw materials that come via rail are possible.
Collective bargaining dispute between Deutsche Bahn and GDL – Volker Wissing wants to contain Weselsky
In the event of the GDL strike, freight transport should also be paralyzed.
Against the background that strikes could lead to supply bottlenecks and disruptions to supply chains in industry, Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) told
Bild
on Sunday : “In addition to the massive disruption to everyday life for large parts of the population, those responsible should remember that there is war in Europe.
This tariff dispute must not become a security risk!” A common solution must be found.
Wissing is likely to encounter resistance from the GDL.
Its boss Claus Weselsky has apparently had enough - and also appeals to Wissing.
“Maybe the minister will remember that you have to protect your property – and that you don’t watch a railway board burn millions of taxpayers’ money,” Weselsky railed at a press conference on Monday (March 4th).
There is also criticism of Wissing's statement from scientists.
The market share of the federally owned transport companies in rail freight transport is just over 40 percent, noted strike researcher Dr.
Alexander Gallas from the University of Kassel told
Ippen.Media
.
“This suggests that Wissing is escalating for political reasons and is creating a dangerous situation that does not exist.”
Do strikes also affect arms deliveries?
Gallas also credits Wissing with being partly responsible for mediating the strike.
“It is important to assess Mr. Wissing’s statements that the railway is run like a private company, but it still belongs to the federal government and is subordinate to the Ministry of Transport.
The Minister of Transport is therefore not outside the collective bargaining conflict - even if he is not directly responsible for conducting negotiations on the side of the railway company.
Asked to what extent strikes could hamper arms deliveries, Gallas said it was difficult to say.
“The exact delivery routes are not publicly announced for security reasons, and it is not yet known what exactly the GDL is planning.”
GDL announces further strikes in the collective bargaining dispute with Deutsche Bahn
The GDL and Deutsche Bahn have been negotiating since the beginning of November 2023. Previous attempts have failed.
The main point of contention remains the 35-hour week.
The union called for a reduction in weekly working hours for shift workers.
The union also wants to negotiate collective agreements for parts of the infrastructure.
The railway has so far rejected both points.
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The work stoppage from Wednesday (March 4, 2024) is expected to last 35 hours.
For freight traffic it should start at 6 p.m. and for passenger traffic at 2 a.m. on Thursday.
In the future, the GDL no longer wants to announce its strikes 48 hours in advance, but instead wants to switch to “wave strikes”.
This means: many shorter and sometimes spontaneous work stoppages in a row.
This means that “the railway is no longer a reliable means of transport,” said GDL boss Claus Weselsky.
Shortly after the strike was announced, it was announced that there was no bargaining chip.
Economic consequences of the strike noticeable – economists worried
Collective bargaining in various sectors is currently triggering unions to threaten industrial action.
Economists are growing concerned about the consequences for the German economy.
“We have to assume that the German economy, which is already in recession and continues to struggle with high interest rates, will not recover significantly in the coming weeks and months,” said Karsten Junius, chief economist at the Safra Sarasin bank opposite the
Tagesschau
.
Strikes and protests come at an inopportune time from an economic perspective.
(bohy)