German rail union announces 20-hour train strike

Germany's GDL train drivers union announced on Tuesday that its members would carry out a 20-hour warning strike on Wednesday to Thursday.

The labor action comes amid pay negotiations between the union and the state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB).

The strike is likely to cause major disruptions to Germany's train services, as has happened during previous GDL strikes.

It will begin at 10 p.m. on Wednesday and end at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

What do striking rail staff want?

GDL is demanding a salary increase of €555 ($593) per month for employees, on top of a one-off payment of €3,000 to counter biting inflation.

The union is also seeking a reduction in working hours without a loss of pay, from 38 hours to 35 hours.

Talks between GDL and DB began last week and are set to continue on Thursday. DB personnel chief Martin Seiler responded to the announcement saying that the GDL leadership "is now showing its true face — it was never interested in solutions."

The rail operator has offered an 11% pay increase but GDL said that DB had made clear it was not willing to discuss the union's core demands.

GDL's rival union, EVG, came to an agreement with DB set out by an arbitrator earlier this year.

The deal includes a pay increase of €410 per month, spread over two stages and valid for 25 months, as well as a one-off tax-free payment of €2,850 per employee, reports DW.