German rail strike ends, union 'very happy' with result

BERLIN: German train drivers returned to their jobs early Saturday after a three-day strike calling for better pay, officials said.

The strike formally ended at 2 a.m. (0100GMT) Saturday, after 62 hours of disrupted traffic that left millions of commuters and freight cars across the country stranded.

Manfred Schell, head of the GDL union that organized the strikes, said he was "very happy" with the action, adding that the union would meet again early next week to discuss the next step.

Freight and passenger trains resumed as regularly scheduled Saturday.

Traffic Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee said late Friday the German government was working to bring together union officials and railway operator Deutsche Bahn again for talks, in hopes of ending the seven-month long stand off. The last round of talks were two weeks ago.

GDL wants a hefty pay increase for train drivers and is insisting that they be given a pay deal separate from that given to other railway employees — a demand that Deutsche Bahn firmly rejects.

GDL has rejected a 4.5-percent raise that Deutsche Bahn agreed with two rival unions that represent a broader range of railway workers.

Deutsche Bahn has said its existing offer amounts to a raise of up to 10 percent for train drivers, along with better working conditions.

Source: iht.com