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ICE of Deutsche Bahn
Photo: Cristof Stache / AFP
Deutsche Bahn (DB) has invited the German Locomotive Drivers' Union (GDL) to new collective bargaining negotiations on Monday.
The basis should be the proposal of the two moderators to reduce working hours, which they presented in the failed round of negotiations last week.
The railway announced this on Friday.
Bahn human resources director Martin Seiler made the suggestion in an email to GDL chairman Claus Weselsky.
In the letter, the railway personnel director suggests that negotiations be resumed on Monday at 1 p.m. in Berlin.
Seiler emphasized that the railway did not reject the two moderators' proposal, contrary to what the GDL stated.
"Rather, in your presence and in the presence of the moderators, we agreed immediately on February 26, 2024 to go beyond our pain threshold and to complete the negotiations on the basis of the moderators' overall proposal."
The two moderators - Schleswig-Holstein's Prime Minister Daniel Günther and the former Federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière (both CDU) - had suggested, among other things, reducing weekly working hours to 37 hours from 2026 and further to 36 hours from 2028, both with full wage compensation.
This comes very close to the GDL's core demand, a gradual introduction of the 35-hour week with full wage compensation.
GDL boss Weselsky misrepresented the moderator's suggestion in a press conference on Monday to justify the 35-hour strike at the railway this week.
This earned him harsh criticism.
Weselsky spoke of an “oversight.”
In the moderator's proposal there were "a whole series of points that were overall unacceptable to us," he said.
It wasn't just about working hours, but also about the term of the collective agreement, among other things.
hey/AFP