Transport Minister Wissing sharply criticizes GDL boss Weselsky | EUROtoday

GDL boss Weselsky is closely criticized as a result of he misrepresented a mediator's proposal within the collective bargaining dispute – and nonetheless desires to go on strike. The passenger affiliation is asking for the strike to be referred to as off. Transport Minister Wissing additionally finds clear phrases.

The prepare drivers' strike, now the fifth within the present spherical of collective bargaining on the railway, is more and more attracting criticism. In an interview with the ARD capital studio Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing defined that the battle was changing into more and more incomprehensible. He significantly criticized the angle of the prepare drivers' union GDL, which was not curious about an answer: “Anyone who makes use of the right to strike must also take responsibility and that means negotiating constructively. This gives the impression that reasons for striking are being sought instead of solutions in a collective bargaining dispute.”

Lack of understanding about Weselsky's “mistake in thinking”

Wissing's fundamental reason behind incomprehension is that GDL boss Claus Weselsky unfold false representations of an interim standing within the railway collective bargaining negotiations. Weselsky justified this with a “misconception”. Minister Wissing mentioned: “I don't find it understandable why Mr. Weselsky misunderstood the conciliation paper. Because the conciliation paper is not worded in an ambiguous way. And I have to demand that negotiations here take place professionally and responsibly,” mentioned the FDP politician .

The minister additionally clearly criticized the union's new technique of finishing up so-called wave strikes, that are not introduced: “I have no understanding when Mr. Weselsky says that he is working to ensure that the train is not a reliable means of transport. That can happen “It will not be meant critically and that’s the reason an answer should now be discovered critically and professionally on the premise of the arbitrator's proposal. And with out inflicting additional strikes.”

“Weselsky should call off the strike”

Not solely Wissing, but in addition associations and different consultants criticized the GDL's actions. The President of the Federal Association of Local Rail Transport, Thomas Prechtl, expressed his understanding that misinterpretations might happen after quite a few rounds. At the identical time, nonetheless, he declared that it mustn’t occur “that millions of passengers will not be able to come to work again from Thursday because of such a 'mistake in thinking', because trains will not be running due to the strike.”

The Pro Bahn passenger affiliation made an identical assertion: “Weselsky should call off the strike,” says its chairman, Detlef Neuß, to the Süddeutsche Zeitung. The chairman of the Bundestag Transport Committee, Udo Schiefner, referred to as on the GDL to return to the negotiating desk. “My appeal is very simple: the right to strike is one thing, a sense of responsibility is another,” the SPD politician informed the Bild newspaper.

Compromise proposal near GDL requirement

The background is an settlement proposal from the 2 moderators – the previous Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière and the Schleswig-Holstein Prime Minister Daniel Günther – which got here very near the union's calls for. Accordingly, the compromise envisaged lowering the weekly working hours for prepare crews in shift work and staff in workshops in two phases from the present 38 to 36 hours with full wage compensation. The first hour ought to be eradicated on January 1, 2026, the second on January 1, 2028. The GDL is asking for a discount to 35 hours.

Weselsky offered the moderators' suggestion in a different way at a press convention on Monday: They would have steered a discount to simply 37 hours with full wage compensation. An additional half hour discount would have been purely non-compulsory and related to monetary losses for the workers. The railway instantly rejected this illustration. Weselsky admitted to the Süddeutsche Zeitung on Tuesday that he had made a “mistake in thinking” with this false illustration. But that doesn't change his rejection of the proposal, he emphasised. Because this doesn’t comprise any step in direction of a 35-hour week, the GDL's preliminary requirement.

Strike till Friday afternoon

Regardless of the talk, the prepare drivers' fifth strike started at 6 p.m. that night. Initially solely freight visitors will likely be affected, however from Thursday morning passenger visitors may also be affected. The trains ought to be largely at a standstill till Friday afternoon at 1 p.m.

As railway spokesman Achim Stauß defined, the railway desires to keep up a primary vary of connections once more. This applies to long-distance, regional and S-Bahn transport. Stauß didn’t say precisely what number of trains would run. There are additionally regional variations. However, longer trains ought to be utilized in long-distance transport in order that extra passengers can use the few connections. He referred to as on passengers to seek out out in good time which connections truly run. A rebooking is feasible for each passenger with none issues, he emphasised.

Nevertheless, the strike will once more have large results. This applies not solely to passenger transport, but in addition to the financial system. Stauß gave the instance of the automotive or chemical industries, which can’t be provided with uncooked supplies or elements.