<p>German train drivers voted to go on strike from Tuesday over a wage dispute, their union said, in a blow for summer vacationers and adding to logistics and supply woes already plaguing the industry.</p>

<p>The walkout will affect cargo trains from 7 pm (1700 GMT) on Tuesday, before extending to passenger traffic at 2 am on Wednesday, said the train drivers' GDL union leader, Claus Weselsky.</p>

<p>Some 95 per cent of union members had voted for the first round of industrial action, which is due to end on Friday.</p>

<p>Train operator Deutsche Bahn slammed the decision as an "unnecessary escalation on the back of rail customers".</p>

<p>"Just as people are travelling more again and using trains, GDL leaders are destroying the upswing that we urgently need given the huge damage from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus pandemic</a>," said Martin Seiler, DB board member for human resources and legal affairs.</p>

<p>But Weselsky argued that the GDL "intentionally chose this timeframe in the week to limit the impact on weekend and holiday traffic" and that it was "never the best time" for a strike.</p>

<p>He in turn accused DB managers of "lining their pockets while the little guys are getting their pockets picked."</p>

<p>The strike would be the first hitting rail traffic since December 2018, when a stoppage was called for four hours.</p>

<p>It marked a new setback at the height of the key summer vacation season for the travel industry which was only starting to recover after months of shutdown over coronavirus infection risks.</p>

<p>With the walkout also due to affect rail cargo,&nbsp;Germany's industrial groups already hit by supply chain issues risk seeing further delivery delays for raw materials or components from timber to steel to computer chips.</p>

<p><strong>Struggle for influence?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The last major conflict between unions and DB occurred between 2014-2015 when GDL organised nine rounds of strikes over nine months to demand regulatory reforms.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The stoppage in May 2015 of six consecutive days has held the record as the longest in the company's history.</p>

<p>This time, GDL argues that it was fighting for a better remuneration deal for train drivers. Among its demands are a 1.4 per cent pay hike, a bonus of 600 euros ($704) for 2021, and a further wage rise of 1.8 per cent in 2022.</p>

<p>Deutsche Bahn had offered to phase in a 3.2 per cent wage increase in two steps but the two parties were unable to agree on when the hikes would apply.</p>

<p>Critics have accused GDL of using the strike to gain greater influence and attract members from larger union EVG -- which covers railway workers and public transport employees.</p>

<p>The fight for influence was all the more critical due to a rule coming in force this year stipulating that the collective deal negotiated by the biggest union applies across the sector.</p>

<p>Deutsche Bahn was already contending with huge losses as demand for travel drastically shrank over the pandemic which erupted in March 2020.</p>

<p>It was also struggling to rebuild kilometres of tracks destroyed by deadly floods that struck western&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;in mid-July.</p>


German train drivers voted to go on strike from Tuesday over a wage dispute, their union said, in a blow for summer vacationers and adding to logistics and supply woes already plaguing the industry.

German train drivers voted to go on strike from Tuesday over a wage dispute, their union said, in a blow for summer vacationers and adding to logistics and supply woes already plaguing the industry. The walkout will affect cargo trains from 7 pm (1700 GMT) on Tuesday, before extending to passenger traffic at 2 am on Wednesday, said the train drivers' GDL union leader, Claus Weselsky. Some 95 per cent of union members had voted for the first round of industrial action, which is due to end on Friday. Train operator Deutsche Bahn slammed the decision as an "unnecessary escalation on the back of rail customers". "Just as people are travelling more again and using trains, GDL leaders are destroying the upswing that we urgently need given the huge damage from the coronavirus pandemic," said Martin Seiler, DB board member for human resources and legal affairs. But Weselsky argued that the GDL "intentionally chose this timeframe in the week to limit the impact on weekend and holiday traffic" and that it was "never the best time" for a strike. He in turn accused DB managers of "lining their pockets while the little guys are getting their pockets picked." The strike would be the first hitting rail traffic since December 2018, when a stoppage was called for four hours. It marked a new setback at the height of the key summer vacation season for the travel industry which was only starting to recover after months of shutdown over coronavirus infection risks. With the walkout also due to affect rail cargo, Germany's industrial groups already hit by supply chain issues risk seeing further delivery delays for raw materials or components from timber to steel to computer chips. Struggle for influence? The last major conflict between unions and DB occurred between 2014-2015 when GDL organised nine rounds of strikes over nine months to demand regulatory reforms. The stoppage in May 2015 of six consecutive days has held the record as the longest in the company's history. This time, GDL argues that it was fighting for a better remuneration deal for train drivers. Among its demands are a 1.4 per cent pay hike, a bonus of 600 euros ($704) for 2021, and a further wage rise of 1.8 per cent in 2022. Deutsche Bahn had offered to phase in a 3.2 per cent wage increase in two steps but the two parties were unable to agree on when the hikes would apply. Critics have accused GDL of using the strike to gain greater influence and attract members from larger union EVG -- which covers railway workers and public transport employees. The fight for influence was all the more critical due to a rule coming in force this year stipulating that the collective deal negotiated by the biggest union applies across the sector. Deutsche Bahn was already contending with huge losses as demand for travel drastically shrank over the pandemic which erupted in March 2020. It was also struggling to rebuild kilometres of tracks destroyed by deadly floods that struck western Germany in mid-July.

German train drivers call strike in escalating wage spat

<p>As the transport workers&#39; unions strike in Tamil Nadu entered the eighth day today, auto drivers have been called in to drive buses in Coimbatore. The striking workers are demanding wage hike among other things.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Transport strike disrupted normal life across the state for eight days in a row as the workers refused to join works even after the Madras high court on Friday directed them to withdraw their stir or face action.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Transport workers&#39; unions in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TamilNadu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TamilNadu</a> enters eighth day, they are demanding wage hike among other things. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visuals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Visuals</a> from Rameswaram. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BusStrike?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BusStrike</a> <a href="https://t.co/LgpFHqnj4a">pic.twitter.com/LgpFHqnj4a</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/951293003791941632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The striking workers&#39; unions on Wednesday night decided to continue with their agitation as the government is yet to invite them to fresh wage negotiations.</p>

<p>A decision in this regard was taken after the union leaders went on a huddle in the evening to decide on their future course of action.</p>

<p>A lawyer representing the workers&#39; unions told the high court yesterday in view of upcoming Pongal and keeping public interest&nbsp;in mind, his clients were willing to resume works provided the government gives commitment to hold talks with them on their demand for a higher wage.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Transport workers&#39; unions strike in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TamilNadu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TamilNadu</a> enters eighth day, they are demanding wage hike among other things. Auto drivers called to drive buses in Coimbatore. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BusStrike?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BusStrike</a> <a href="https://t.co/qNgfBvM50h">pic.twitter.com/qNgfBvM50h</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/951327082427985920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The court, which came down heavily on the striking workers for holding the people to ransom, asked the unions to listen to their conscience while taking a call on the issue.</p>

<p>Justice M Govindaraj and Justice S Manikumar posted the matter for further hearing today and asked the unions to inform their decision on withdrawal of the strike by then.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The striking workers' unions on Wednesday night decided to continue with their agitation as the government is yet to invite them to fresh wage negotiations.

As the transport workers' unions strike in Tamil Nadu entered the eighth day today, auto drivers have been called in to drive buses in Coimbatore. The striking workers are demanding wage hike among other things. Transport strike disrupted normal life across the state for eight days in a row as the workers refused to join works even after the Madras high court on Friday directed them to withdraw their stir or face action. Transport workers' unions in #TamilNadu enters eighth day, they are demanding wage hike among other things. #Visuals from Rameswaram. #BusStrike pic.twitter.com/LgpFHqnj4a — ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2018 × The striking workers' unions on Wednesday night decided to continue with their agitation as the government is yet to invite them to fresh wage negotiations. A decision in this regard was taken after the union leaders went on a huddle in the evening to decide on their future course of action. A lawyer representing the workers' unions told the high court yesterday in view of upcoming Pongal and keeping public interest in mind, his clients were willing to resume works provided the government gives commitment to hold talks with them on their demand for a higher wage. Transport workers' unions strike in #TamilNadu enters eighth day, they are demanding wage hike among other things. Auto drivers called to drive buses in Coimbatore. #BusStrike pic.twitter.com/qNgfBvM50h — ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2018 × The court, which came down heavily on the striking workers for holding the people to ransom, asked the unions to listen to their conscience while taking a call on the issue. Justice M Govindaraj and Justice S Manikumar posted the matter for further hearing today and asked the unions to inform their decision on withdrawal of the strike by then.

As transport workers' strike enters 8th day, auto drivers called in to drive buses

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