After two months of failed collective bargaining and "surprise" strikes, the train drivers' union GDL and Deutsche Bahn have reached an innovative agreement on a 35-hour working week with no reduction in pay, starting in 2029, and in several "non-automatic" stages.
GDL, Germany’s train drivers’ union, which has around 40,000 members, including drivers and other train crew staff, and represents almost 50% of Deutsche Bahn’s 20,000 train drivers, has succeeded in imposing its central demand in this current round of collective bargaining: namely, a reduction in the working week from 38 hours at present to 35, with no reduction in pay.
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Article authors
Thomas Schnee
Correspondent in Germany
As a Berlin correspondent for the French and Swiss press since the late 1990s, I cover a wide range of economic, political and social issues, with a particular focus on the German business and labour market. My areas of interest include co-determination, digitalisation, demographics and ESG/DEI policies.