Saarbahn Faces New GDL Warning Strike Starting Thursday

The German train drivers' union GDL has announced another warning strike at Saarbahn, scheduled to commence Thursday at 5:00 PM. The union stated that the end of this strike will be announced separately, indicating a potentially prolonged industrial action.

The GDL cited a deadlock in the ongoing tariff negotiations as the reason for the strike. The union claims that Saarbahn has not presented a workable offer and further accuses the company of canceling a scheduled negotiation meeting at the end of June. While the GDL expressed regret for the inconvenience to passengers, it asserted that the employer's persistent refusal to engage meaningfully has left them with no alternative.

Saarbahn GmbH anticipates the strike will last several days, marking the seventh such action by the GDL with an open-ended duration. The company warned that isolated service disruptions might occur even before the official start of the strike due to organizational reasons. During the strike, service on the Saarbahn line S1, which connects Lebach and Saargemünd, will be entirely suspended.

The GDL emphasized the strong resolve of its members, noting that both a strike vote and previous strike actions saw 100% participation. The union believes Saarbahn is disregarding both the legitimate demands of its employees and the clear signals from the workforce. Saarbahn operates under two collective agreements: one with the Verdi union, covering most employees, and another with the GDL, which applies to approximately 15% of the workforce.