Tariff Conflict - Another strike at City-Bahn - End not in sight
In Chemnitz, the GDL trade union is striking the City-Bahn again. "The strike started early at around 3 am," said Frank Ester, spokesperson for the City-Bahn. Occasionally, trains would run, such as on line C15, but otherwise, there is bus service instead. This is not as frequent as the regular offering. Stops and departure times may vary. Information is available on the City-Bahn's website.
It was unclear when the GDL union would end the strike. Ester stated that the replacement service would continue in the meantime.
Failed wage negotiations
The GDL has been striking the City-Bahn for the 16th time. The wage negotiations on Friday in Leipzig once again failed. The City-Bahn's proposed wage offer was evaluated by the GDL as a provocation. Although the City-Bahn's offer included a reduction of working hours to 35 hours per week without a wage reduction, "this improvement, according to the employer's wishes, should be financed by the GDL members themselves," the union stated.
City-Bahn managing director Friedbert Straube regretted that a viable compromise could not be reached. The GDL had remained inflexible. "They want to retain the right to disproportionately raise wages despite a reduction in working hours. This is a significant risk for the transport offering and jobs."
The City-Bahn operates in the Chemnitz area and on several railway lines in Central and Western Saxony. Around 185 people work for the municipal company.
The ongoing tariff conflict between the City-Bahn and the GDL union in Chemnitz has led to multiple strikes, including the current one on the City-Bahn, affecting their operations. Despite the GDL striking for the 16th time, their demand for the proposed wage offer to not financially burden its members remains unyielding, causing a stalemate in negotiations. The subsequent tariff conflict has resulted in disruptions to railway services in Saxony, leading to replacement bus services on some lines.
