City-Bahn wage dispute escalates: duration of strike open

The dispute between the train drivers' union GDL and City-Bahn Chemnitz has reached a new level of escalation - to the dismay of schoolchildren and commuters. The railroad company's lines have been on strike again since Wednesday afternoon. For the time being, the union has remained silent about how long the strike will last this time. However, it explicitly did not want to talk about an indefinite strike. The end of the strike will be announced to the company separately.

The managing director of City-Bahn sharply criticized the action. Friedbert Straube complained that this impaired the safety of children who had to wait in vain for the trains at stops and stations or had to make a potentially dangerous walk home. "I call on Mr. Weselsky to behave responsibly and return to the table for real negotiations."

The background to the trial of strength is the GDL's demand for the introduction of the 35-hour week. While it says it has already reached agreements on this with more than 40 rail companies, City-Bahn is vehemently opposed to this. For this reason, the GDL has repeatedly called on its members to strike in recent days. City-Bahn operates six lines in the Chemnitz region.