GERMANY: Train drivers' unions accuse each other of escalating German train strike

Record ID: 340276

  • Title: GERMANY: Train drivers' unions accuse each other of escalating German train strike
  • Date: 15th November 2007
  • Summary: (EU) SEDDIN, GERMANY (NOVEMBER 14, 2007) (REUTERS) TRAINS ON TRACKS VARIOUS OF TRAIN CARRIAGES STANDING STILL WORKERS WALKING NEXT TO TRAINS TRAINS ON TRACKS VARIOUS OF WORKER NEAR TRAIN CARRIAGE HARMUT TIEZ, GDL REGIONAL HEAD FOR SEDDIN, WALKING PAST WEARING GDL VEST (SOUNDBITE) (German) GDL REGIONAL HEAD FOR SEDDIN, HARMUT TIEZ, SAYING: "85 percent of our GDL train driv
  • Embargoed: 30th November 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Employment
  • Reuters ID: LVA75GHN9ASGZEIK1C783ZMFH4WA
  • Story Text: German train drivers started a 62-hour nationwide strike on freight routes on Wednesday (November 14).
    The GDL train drivers' union plans to extend the walkouts -- the biggest strike in Deutsche Bahn's history -- to passenger services from 0100 GMT on Thursday (November 15), causing misery to millions of travellers. The freight stoppages started at 1100 GMT.
    A regional head for the GDL union in the eastern German town of Seddin claimed 85 percent of train drivers in the region were participating in the strike.

    "The previous strike already showed that drivers are supporting it, even more so today than last time," Hartmut Tiez, Regional Head of GDL told Reuters Television.

    "The offers from Deutsche Bahn aren't offers. Nobody understands them," Tiez said.
    Deutsche Bahn board member Norbert Bensel meanwhile accused GDL of "paralysing eastern Germany's train services," saying that GDL president Manfred Schell bears the responsibility for that. We have no influence over it."
    Bensel added "the board of Deutsche Bahn expects GDL to come to the negotiating table. We have made our offers and it is now up to GDL to act."
    The strike, an escalation in the drivers' dispute with Deutsche Bahn, coincides with a nationwide strike by transport workers in neighbouring France over pension reform.
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