BVG strikes threaten: Bus and train in Berlin are standing standing!

BVG strikes threaten: Bus and train in Berlin are standing standing!

Berlin, Deutschland - commuter, students and other passengers from Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) should adapt to possible significant restrictions in local public transport. The Verdi union confirmed its high wage claims on Friday and signaled that industrial action will be expected from Wednesday. Negotiator Jeremy Arndt warns that the current situation could lead to a standstill on the bus and train if the employers do not submit any sustainable offers.

The tariff conflicts begin with the first round of negotiations on January 15 with the municipal employers' association (KAV) Berlin. Janine Köhler, a member of the Verdi tariff commission, emphasizes that it is now at the employers to submit a fair offer. Otherwise, the employees who will come up with a catalog of demands that puts the German locomotive guide (GDL) union in the shade will not remain calm. The focus is on an average of 25 percent for the 16,600 employees of the BVG Group, with an even desired increase of around 30 percent for driving and workshop staff. This would increase personnel costs by around 250 million euros, said Arndt.

background of the claims

The strike claws result from the dissatisfied situation of the BVG employees, who see that their salaries and working conditions are no longer portable. According to Manuel von Stubenrauch, a tram driver and a member of the Verdi tariff commission, the drivers directly feel the effects of personnel emergency and austerity policy. He demands from employers to take the reality more seriously and to offer their employees appropriate working conditions.

The tense employment relationships have also led to increased fluctuation among the employees, which is now ten percent per year, while a normal value is three to four percent. Should industrial action actually occur, the trade unionists want the Berlin citizens to understand that they are going on for their interests.

political reactions and effects

The political reactions to the Verdi claims are mixed. Matthias Kollatz from the SPD emphasizes that collective bargaining is primarily a matter of the collective bargaining parties. He admits that there is a gap from the salaries compared to other federal states that urgently need to be made up. Tino Schopf from the SPD announces that the negotiations are more than overdue and essential to make the BVG attractive in a nationwide comparison.

Antje Kapek from the Greens also sees the collective bargaining as an important step to bring the BVG into a better position. It indicates that the payment of the driver is not competitive compared to other countries and calls for an improvement in working conditions and general support from the Senate.

preparation for possible strikes

In the case of strikes, those responsible warn that passengers can only expect a limited range of transport. Since the BVG counts over a billion passengers annually, it is crucial that the means of transport are reliably driving. On a strike, the buses, subway and trams would not be used for the most part, while S-Bahn and regional trains would still drive because they belong to other companies.

The passenger association IGEG underlines the need to develop emergency timetables in order to ensure certain mobility to the citizens, for example for ways of working or visits to the doctor. The negotiations will be intensively expected, so that the Berliners have to adapt to a challenging traffic situation, should the union's claims not be taken seriously.