Almost empty stations in the north - emergency timetable due to warning strike
Largely empty platforms and hardly any trains in the stations: Deutsche Bahn (DB) trains in northern Germany have been running on an emergency timetable since early Thursday morning. Travelers and commuters still have to be prepared for many cancellations and longer waiting times due to the GDL warning strike. "It's very quiet everywhere. Passengers have probably prepared themselves for this. Many have been well informed or may not even be setting off at all and are staying at home," a Deutsche Bahn spokeswoman told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur in Hamburg on Thursday.
In Hamburg, S-Bahn services are also running fairly smoothly on all lines. Only the S1 Ohlsdorf - Poppenbüttel line was canceled. Passengers were asked to keep up to date online. "Due to the still unclear situation, the timetables in the information media (DB & hvv) will only be available at short notice," the website said.
The German Locomotive Drivers' Union (GDL) has called on train drivers, train attendants, workshop employees and dispatchers to stop work until 6 p.m. on Thursday. Among other things, the GDL is demanding an increase of 555 euros per month for a twelve-month contract period as well as an inflation compensation bonus. The sticking point is the demand for a reduction in working hours from 38 to 35 hours per week for shift workers with full pay.
Deutsche Bahn had presented its own offer in the first round of negotiations, which included a pay increase of eleven percent for a term of 32 months. There is nothing in the offer regarding working hours.
The emergency timetable caused traffic on Deutsche Bahn trains in northern Germany to significantly decrease, leading to largely empty stations. Due to the GDL strike, many commuters opted to stay home instead of navigating the traffic, resulting in fewer vehicles on the roads.
Source: www.dpa.com
