In Frankfurt on 17 October, a week after the GDL train drivers’ union started their negotiations with Germany’s rail company Deutsche Bahn (DB) to renew their collective agreement, it was the turn of the major EVG rail union to commence their own renewal negotiations. The EVG has set itself ambitious objectives, for it intends to negotiate the opportunity for approximately 100,000 employees to choose either more in pay, or an extra week off work per year, or one hour less work per week. Alongside this runs a major collective agreement called ‘Work 4.0’ that has been under negotiation between the union and the company since July 2016 and with which DB intends to carve out tomorrow’s world of work.
A landmark freedom to choose. Fifteen months after the significant rail dispute (nine GDL led strikes in under a year, c.f. article No. 9054) both competing unions, GDL (10 October) and EVG (17 October) have launched their respective separate rounds of negotiations with the employer (DB). This time however both unions are looking for more than financial rewards. Apart from a 4.5% wage rise the EVG is looking for their collective agreement to give employees the choice between a 2.5% pay rise, si
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