Whereas the "5 sages" (famous economists for the Federal government) predicted that Germany would enter recession in 2009, the joint committee for wage negotiations of the two major rail unions, Transnet and DGBA, caused a stir by presenting, on November 11, 2008, high wage claims for the coming wage negotiations in 2009 - a 10% wage increase for the 140.000 people employed by the Deutsche Bahn AG. The current agreement will expire on January 31, 2009. (Ref. 080916)
“The economic situation of the DB AG is better than good” explained Alexander Kirchner, VP
of Transnet, and Heinz Fuhrmann, VP of the DGBA in a press release. “The Deutsche
Bahn sets one record after the other and we want employees to get a fair share
of these results” a Transnet spokesman told Planet Labor. Besides, the two unions request a one-year
wage agreement and improved working hours. “Some employees, such as train
drivers or the crew work at night, during holidays and the weekends. It
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