train - City-Bahn strike to be announced after short pause
After a short break, the German Locomotive Drivers' Union (GDL) will resume striking the City-Bahn starting from Friday morning. The strike will begin at 3:00 AM, the union announced. The end of the strike will be communicated separately by the GDL. However, it is not an indefinite strike. Further strike waves may follow.
The union had already called for a work stoppage from Tuesday morning to Thursday morning. After the strike was announced on Wednesday evening, the transportation company resumed regular service on Thursday, gradually increasing it. Simultaneously, the emergency bus service was maintained. This is intended to be continued permanently. The exact schedules can be found on the City-Bahn's homepage.
Failed wage negotiations in Leipzig
With the latest work stoppage, the GDL is striking the City-Bahn for the 17th time. The wage negotiations had failed again last week in Leipzig. The Chemnitz City-Bahn had reportedly made an offer for the first time that included reducing the reference working hours to the average 35-hour week, but only at the expense of GDL members and with a "Notice of Termination Option," criticized the union.
"To finance the 35-hour week, GDL members are being asked to pay," said union chairman Claus Weselsky. The loss of hard-won achievements in the wage agreements, the elimination of social benefits, and the repayment of wage increases are non-negotiable.
Rejected inflation-adjusted wage increases
The City-Bahn reportedly agreed to raise the wages of locomotive drivers in line with inflation in the coming years based on their own statements. However, Weselsky did not accept this offer.
The GDL plans to hold a demonstration train on Friday starting at 11:00 AM to the main station. "GDL members will not only express their discontent with standing trains, but will also take to the streets and support their demands with colleagues from the Saxon Civil Servants' Union," said Weselsky.
The City-Bahn is operating in the Chemnitz area and on several railway lines in Central and Western Saxony. Approximately 185 people work for the municipal company.
- Claus Weselsky, the union chairman of the German Locomotive Drivers' Union (GDL), expressed his disagreement with the City-Bahn's offer to finance the 35-hour week by asking GDL members to pay higher fees.
- The ongoing strike by the GDL against the City-Bahn in Leipzig is their 17th work stoppage, following the failure of wage negotiations last week.
- The GDL has planned a demonstration train on Friday at 11:00 AM, starting from the main station, to express their dissatisfaction with the current situation and to seek support from their colleagues in the Saxon Civil Servants' Union.
- Despite the City-Bahn's agreement to raise wages for locomotive drivers in line with inflation, the GDL, represented by Claus Weselsky, has rejected this offer, voicing concerns about potential losses in wage agreements and social benefits.
