After 10 months of bitter bargaining and crippling strikes, Germany's train drivers have clinched 11 percent more pay and the right to their own, separate labor contract. That, say media commentators, spells trouble for Germany's system of collective wage bargaining. Job done: Engine-driver union GDL leader Manfred Schell has secured 11 percent more pay and key concessions from railway operator Deutsche Bahn. Germany's train drivers finally appear to have reached an agreement on pay and conditions with railway operator Deutsche Bahn after a 10-month dispute that brought chaos to the network. The GDL train drivers' union and Deutsche Bahn said on Sunday they were close to reaching a deal and that only details had yet to be ironed out. German media commentators say the small GDL union has emerged the winner, having clinched an 11 percent wage hike, an €800 ($1,182) one-off payment and crucially, the right to negotiate separately from the country's two other, bigger railway unions. Deutsche Bahn managed to resist GDL's initial demand of 31 percent more pay but failed in its bid to keep the GDL locked into a sector-wide labor contract. Some commentators say the deal could spell trouble (more...) for Germany's system of industry-wide wage bargaining, a tradition that has been credited with ensuring relatively smooth industrial relations for decades. Both doctors and pilots have led the way in splitting off from larger, collective bargaining agreements. Now that the country's engine drivers have secured their own separate wage contract, other distinct job categories within the industrial sector may decide to follow suit, starting a trend that could lead to frequent labor disputes and crippling strikes.
After 10 months of bitter bargaining and crippling strikes, Germany's train drivers have clinched 11 percent more pay and the right to their own, separate labor contract. That, say media commentators, spells trouble for Germany's system of collective wage bargaining.
Job done: Engine-driver union GDL leader Manfred Schell has secured 11 percent more pay and key concessions from railway operator Deutsche Bahn. Germany's train drivers finally appear to have reached an agreement on pay and conditions with railway operator Deutsche Bahn after a 10-month dispute that brought chaos to the network.
The GDL train drivers' union and Deutsche Bahn said on Sunday they were close to reaching a deal and that only details had yet to be ironed out. German media commentators say the small GDL union has emerged the winner, having clinched an 11 percent wage hike, an €800 ($1,182) one-off payment and crucially, the right to negotiate separately from the country's two other, bigger railway unions. Deutsche Bahn managed to resist GDL's initial demand of 31 percent more pay but failed in its bid to keep the GDL locked into a sector-wide labor contract.
Some commentators say the deal could spell trouble (more...) for Germany's system of industry-wide wage bargaining, a tradition that has been credited with ensuring relatively smooth industrial relations for decades. Both doctors and pilots have led the way in splitting off from larger, collective bargaining agreements. Now that the country's engine drivers have secured their own separate wage contract, other distinct job categories within the industrial sector may decide to follow suit, starting a trend that could lead to frequent labor disputes and crippling strikes.
Train drivers are unlike doctors and pilots in that they really did not get paid all that much (1500 euros net pay on average for a 41 hour work week, with travel time 55 hours).
It's really distasteful to read all the concern in the press at a time when on average the wage rise in Germany is still below productivity gains + inflation.
I forget that this is an international community sometimes!
