After unsuccessful talks with Deutsche Bahn on Tuesday, the railway and transport union (EVG) continues to insist on an improved offer. The tariff commission will remain at the meeting place in Fulda on Wednesday and is always ready to evaluate a new proposal, said an EVG spokesman on Tuesday evening. The commission will meet again in the morning. It was still unclear whether there would be further talks with the employers.
ECG: Running time too long, height too low
The EVG had rejected an offer made by Deutsche Bahn in Fulda. In the current collective bargaining round, the group had proposed an increase of 10 percent for the lower and middle wage groups and 8 percent for the upper wage groups in addition to a tax and duty-free inflation adjustment totaling 2850 euros.
The EVG criticized the term of 27 months as too long and the amount as too low. The union demands at least 650 euros more per month or 12 percent for the upper income earners. In addition, she wants to enforce a term of 12 months.
Another sticking point was the minimum wage. The subject has not been clarified, said negotiator Kristian Loroch. A few thousand employees only receive this from the company in the form of bonuses. Even before the substantive tariff talks, the EVG wants to set the statutory minimum wage of 12 euros per hour in the tariff tables. The railways, in turn, reiterated their proposal for a minimum wage of 13 euros, which should appear in the tables from August 2024. The union strictly rejects this.
Bahn: “Enormous offer on the table”
“The EVG insists on preconditions, although there is an enormous offer on the table,” said Group HR Director Martin Seiler on Tuesday. The railway is ready to negotiate further points with a view to the overall result. “We regret that our employees have to continue to wait for a wage increase despite the increased prices,” it said.
The union is not only making its demands on Deutsche Bahn. It is gradually negotiating this with 50 companies in the railway sector. If the talks at Deutsche Bahn are unsuccessful these days, it will therefore take a few more weeks before both sides are back at the negotiating table. In the meantime, there is plenty of time for more warning strikes.
Ballot and indefinite strikes possible
Last Friday, the EVG paralyzed long-distance and regional traffic for a few hours. She has made it clear that she is ready for further escalation. If the talks are broken off, ballots and indefinite strikes are also possible.
How things will continue on Wednesday was initially completely open. Both collective bargaining parties are still in Fulda. While the EVG emphasizes that it is waiting for an improved offer from Deutsche Bahn, the group is demanding a return to the negotiating table to talk about the existing proposal.
