DB and the GDL have reached a compromise in wage negotiations that avoids industrial action. Both parties will present the agreement’s details on Friday morning, putting warning strikes at DB to the back burner for the coming months.
These talks were the first since 2018 to end without strikes. The previous round, led by the controversial GDL chairman Claus Weselsky, had ended in conflict. The current pay round is the first under new GDL president Mario Reiß. Negotiations began in January after the previous contract expired at the end of December, with five rounds scheduled. A peace obligation that barred the GDL from calling for work actions was in effect through the end of February.
On February 10, DB put forward an initial proposal that would raise wages and salaries by 3.8 percent in two stages. In addition, adjustments in the tariff system were expected to lift salaries by another 2.2 percent, including an extra wage scale that the GDL had demanded. The proposal also included a one‑time payment of €400. Disagreements remained over the length of the agreement: the employer wanted a 30‑month period, whereas the GDL preferred 12 months. Another sticking point was the Tariff Single‑Application Law, which stipulates that in a company only the contracts of the employer representation holding the majority of members can be applied.