Three-day railway strike in Germany starts today at 6 p.m.: what you want to know now US Defense Secretary Austin is still in hospital

After four warning strikes at Deutsche Bahn in the past nine months, things are now getting more serious for travelers: the train drivers’ union GDL wants to strike at Deutsche Bahn from Tuesday evening and until Friday evening. It is the first strike action lasting several days in the current collective labor agreement negotiation round.

The timetable will likely be shaken up again. Deutsche Bahn wants to offer an emergency timetable on the three days of the strike. An overview:

When will there be a strike?

According to GDL’s plans, the work stoppage will start on Tuesday evening (6 p.m.) in freight transport and early Wednesday morning (2 a.m.) in passenger traffic. The strike ends Friday evening at 6 p.m.

Passenger traffic is likely to be severely affected in the next three days. Even after the strike ends on Friday evening, there will probably not be many trains on the rails. As before, Deutsche Bahn must concentrate on a smooth start to operations on Saturday. The group has not yet announced details.

Are train connections in Switzerland affected?

No. Trains will run as planned on the Swiss part of the route.

Which traffic is affected?

The employees of Deutsche Bahn and the railway company Transdev have been called on to stop work. Significant disruptions are therefore to be expected, both in long-distance transport and in German regional and freight transport. The group wants to offer an emergency timetable. However, this guarantees “only a very limited range of trains in long-distance, regional and S-Bahn service [Deutschen Bahn]» the company said.

“Please do not travel unnecessarily during the GDL strike and postpone your trip to another time.” During the two previous GDL warning strikes, Deutsche Bahn was able to maintain about 20 percent of its usual long-distance service. In regional transport, the effects varied greatly per region.

Which regions are likely to be particularly affected?

Experience has shown that many employees are organized by the GDL, especially in the eastern German states and the south-west. Regional transport will therefore be virtually unavailable in many places.

Where can I find more information about my train?

You can see whether there is a long-distance or regional train running or not via the SBB app or the Deutsche Bahn (DB) app and via the SBB or DB websites.

In addition, Deutsche Bahn has already drawn up an emergency timetable, which has been available online since Monday afternoon. Passengers can now find out more about their journey there or via a specially set up free telephone number (08000 996633).

What happens to my ticket?

All passengers who want to postpone their planned journey from Wednesday to Friday due to the strike can also use their ticket before or after the strike days. The train connection has been discontinued. The ticket is valid for the journey to the original destination, even if the route is changed.

Seat reservations can be canceled free of charge. If the booked train is canceled, a full refund of the ticket is also possible.

Are other railway companies affected by the warning strike?

Except for the companies mentioned, which are on strike immediately, in theory all other railway companies can offer their journeys. The GDL mainly represents drivers and train crew at Deutsche Bahn. The train controllers who coordinate train traffic throughout Germany are also being called for a warning strike. But only a few of them are GDL members. The rail network should therefore generally be passable in large parts of the country.

Are negotiations ongoing?

Yes. The last word on this has not yet been spoken. This is on Tuesday afternoon in the second instance before the State Labor Court of Hesse (LAG). There, from 5 p.m., a final decision will be made on a lawsuit filed by Deutsche Bahn, with which the company wants to prevent the strike at almost the last second. The planned start of the strike is at 6 p.m., initially in freight transport.

If negotiations last longer, the GDL could still start the strike, which should last until Friday evening. The Frankfurt Labor Court rejected a preliminary injunction from the railways and the also striking railway company Transdev on Monday evening and allowed the strike. The late start of the appeal hearing this Tuesday indicates that the LAG does not expect to need much time to reach a decision.

What do the drivers actually demand?

Since the beginning of November, the GDL has been fighting with the railways and other railway companies for higher rates. At the heart of the current collective bargaining dispute is the union’s demand for a reduction in weekly working hours for shift workers from 38 to 35 hours. The railway considers this requirement unfulfillable. She only wants to talk to the union about expanding the existing choice models for working time.

Union leader Claus Weselsky rejects this and points to agreements that have already been made with the smaller railway companies Netinera and Go Ahead. The GDL had implemented the required reduction in working hours there in recent weeks. The outstanding degrees must now also be structured according to this model.

(rbu/t-online)