In the wage dispute with the railway and transport union (EVG), Deutsche Bahn says it has met the demand for a minimum wage. DB Chief Human Resources Officer Martin Seiler said that DB and EVG had "discussed the issue of the minimum wage in intensive talks" until late Thursday evening. In doing so, DB had promised EVG that it would comply with its demand, namely the representation of the statutory minimum wage, plus a pay increase.
"We have fulfilled the demand for a minimum wage," Seiler explained. Now the EDC stands by its word. "The EDC must now keep its promise and cancel the 50-hour warning strike," he demanded.
EVG negotiator Kristian Loroch immediately disagreed: "We have brought the railway to talks. But when the key to the solution was already on the table, she backed down," Loroch told Reuters. "But there is still a chance that the railway will return to the solution on Friday."
The previous promises for a determination of the minimum wage of twelve euros in the pay scales had not been sufficient for the union. According to Loroch, however, talks had already come very far on Thursday. For example, wage increases should be based on tariffs of around 13 euros and then be permanently anchored. Then, however, the employers' side decided not to take the last steps after all.
The union had announced a nationwide strike on Thursday morning, which is to paralyze practically all rail traffic from Sunday evening 22:00 to Tuesday night 24:00. The third warning strike in the collective bargaining round would thus also be the longest at 50 hours. The union is negotiating for around 230,000 employees at around 50 train and bus companies and insists on twelve percent more wages, but at least 650 euros a month more.