Pay agreement at Deutsche Bahn: GDL and railway avoid transport paralysis

The German rail transport sector breathed a sigh of relief following the announcement of an agreement between the management of Deutsche Bahn (DB) and the train drivers' union GDL. A key element of the new deal is a 5 percent wage increase, which will be implemented in two stages over the next two years. Additionally, employees will receive a one-off bonus to compensate for the effects of inflation. Most importantly for passengers, both sides committed to maintaining social peace, which rules out any warning strikes until the end of 2027 and, in practice, ensures calm until the beginning of 2028. The change in tone in the negotiations is widely commented on by German media as a success for the new GDL chairman. Mario Reiß, who replaced the controversial Claus Weselsky in this position, managed to forge a compromise without resorting to paralyzing the country with multi-day protests. Experts point out that this is a signal of a thaw in relations, which have been extremely tense in recent years. The new wage tariff also introduces a new salary grade structure, which is intended to increase the attractiveness of the train driver profession in the face of staff shortages. In 2024, Germany experienced a series of record-long rail strikes, which led to billions in economic losses and forced the federal government to take on the role of mediator.Parallel to the success on the railways, an agreement was also reached at Autobahn GmbH, stabilizing the situation across the entire German transport infrastructure sector. The compromise there is also based on gradual pay increases and a guarantee of work continuity. For Deutsche Bahn, which is struggling with punctuality problems and the technical condition of its rolling stock, the absence of labor conflicts is a necessary condition for carrying out the necessary modernizations. „Dieser Abschluss zeigt, dass wir Verantwortung für Mitarbeiter und Fahrgäste gleichzeitig übernehmen können.” (This agreement shows that we can take responsibility for employees and passengers simultaneously.) — Mario Reiß The railway management emphasized that while the increase in wage costs is a challenge for the company's budget, operational stability is the overriding value. The agreement includes clauses regarding working time flexibility, which was one of the most contentious points in previous years. This will allow DB to plan schedules more efficiently during peak demand periods, which should translate into better service quality for travelers.