Associations - Rhineland-Palatinate entrepreneurs criticize GDL strike
The Rhineland-Palatinate business community has massively criticized the announced strikes by the train drivers' union GDL. Strikes to resolve a distribution conflict are a legitimate means, said Karsten Tacke, Managing Director of the Rhineland-Palatinate Business Association (LVU), in Mainz to the German Press Agency. "However, a strike to fight a trade union rivalry is an unacceptable misuse of this sharp sword. This remains the case even if a trade union undermines the right to strike under the guise of unfulfillable demands."
In the wage dispute at Deutsche Bahn, the train drivers' union GDL recently reiterated its threat to strike. Longer industrial action can be expected from January 8. The GDL members cleared the way for this in mid-December with a ballot. So far in this round of collective bargaining, the GDL has paralyzed large parts of rail traffic nationwide with two warning strikes.
Tacke warned that sectoral unions were dividing the workforce and making the general public unreasonably liable. "This is especially true when the companies on strike are essential for public services." As the most important transport hub in Germany, the people around Frankfurt and therefore also in the Rhineland-Palatinate parts of the Rhine-Main and Rhine-Neckar metropolitan regions would be particularly hard hit by the effects of a rail strike.
"If a few people in important positions exploit their power to such an extent that an entire country is held hostage, then the Federal Minister of Labor must urgently draw a line," demanded Tacke. "We need to get back to the trade union principle as quickly as possible: one company, one trade union, one collective agreement."
The employers had only recently been reminded of their social responsibility by the trade unions, said the Managing Director with regard to the collective bargaining in the retail sector. "In recent weeks, however, it has become clear that it is not the employers who are failing to live up to their responsibilities."
According to the Group, the collective agreements negotiated by the German Train Drivers' Union (GDL) only apply to around 10,000 employees at Deutsche Bahn. The GDL mainly represents train drivers and train attendants. As a smaller union, it can therefore also severely disrupt rail traffic and stop trains. The much larger Railway and Transport Union (EVG) recently negotiated for a good 180,000 DB employees.
The GDL wants to extend its scope of application at Deutsche Bahn and also conclude collective agreements for areas of work in which it has no collective agreements to date. Specifically, the focus is on infrastructure companies.
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- The planned strikes by the GDL, a train drivers' union based in Rhineland-Palatinate, have attracted criticism from local associations.
- At the turn of the year, longer industrial action could impact traffic in Mainz and the Rhine-Main and Rhine-Neckar metropolitan regions, following a ballot by GDL members.
- According to Karsten Tacke, Managing Director of the Rhineland-Palatinate Business Association, the GDL's strike is an unacceptable misuse of their Powers, aimed at undermining rival trade unions.
- The German Press Agency reported that the GDL wants to expand its scope of application at Deutsche Bahn, disrupting rail traffic and affecting German Railroad operations along the Rhine.
- Tacke emphasized the need for a return to the trade union principle of 'one company, one trade union, one collective agreement,' citing the sectoral division of the workforce and unequal liability on the public.
- The small German Train Drivers' Union (GDL) primarily represents train drivers and train attendants but can still severely impact German Railroad operations due to its ability to disrupt traffic and stop trains.
- The strike has also impacted the employers' sector, with Tacke pointing out that recent collective bargaining in the retail sector had reminded everyone of their social responsibilities, but failure to meet those responsibilities is now evident.
Source: www.stern.de
