[Marxism] German rail drivers strike update

[Johannes Schneider]

A labor relations court today allowed the train drivers union to strike in  
freight and long-distance services. This is an important win for the right  
to strike in Germany. The union will now be able to exert more pressure on  
Deutsche Bahn.

See this AP report

Court rules that German train drivers' union can expand strikes
AP report

CHEMNITZ, Germany: A union representing German train drivers can expand  
its strike campaign against the national railway, a court ruled Friday,  
overturning a ban on strikes on freight and long-distance services.

The GDL union, which is locked in a bitter pay dispute with railway  
operator Deutsche Bahn AG, has been limited to hitting regional and  
commuter trains with occasional walkouts since the company secured a court  
ruling restricting strikes last month.

The union said that prevented it from exerting sufficient economic  
pressure on Deutsche Bahn, and appealed to a labor court in the eastern  
city of Chemnitz.

Presiding judge Werner Leschinger said the constitutionally enshrined  
right to strike could not be restricted, and that an expansion of the  
strikes was not disproportionate.

GDL hopes to pressure Deutsche Bahn into giving in to its demands of a cut  
in the working week by one hour to 40 hours, and a pay increase of up to  
31 percent for its members.

It also is insisting that train drivers be given a separate pay deal,  
rather than being included in a one-size-fits-all deal that includes other  
railway workers.

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

Deutsche Bahn carries some 5 million passengers daily.

Source:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/02/europe/EU-GEN-Germany-Rail-Strikes.php