EVG agrees to DB’s collective agreement, strikes averted
The vote has been cast. The ballots held by German trade union EVG resulted in the acceptance of Deutsche Bahn’s (DB) collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Despite EVG calling it “a clear vote by the membership”, the race was quite close, with 52,3 per cent voting in favour. This means that the possibility of strikes is now out of the picture.
The new CBA has a duration of 25 months, even though DB was asking for 2,7 and covers all workers in the CBA. This means that negotiations for the next one will start in 20 months. The proposal accepted by EVG includes a pay increase of 410 euros for all workers, while the trade union aiming for 450. The increase will occur in two stages–one in December 2023 and one in August 2024. Moreover, there will be a one-time premium inflation compensation of 2.850 euros which will be cashed out in October, which was welcomed by EVG. The new CBA also entails a structural pay increase for everyone which will result in an average of 100 euros more per month and a collective minimum wage for all workers.
DB vs. EVG: Six long months of negotiations
It was a tortuous path that led to this outcome. The first round of negotiations between DB and EVG started six months ago, and it was a battle from the beginning. The first 24-hour strike was called for 27 March, which led to significant disruptions to the rail freight industry in Germany. Things worsened after the second round of negotiations, with a 50-hour strike planned between 14 and 16 May, but was partly called off at the last minute.
The third offer presented by DB was also rejected by EVG at the beginning of June. After a few weeks of tension with threats of possible strikes, the parties decided to try and force an end. An arbitration between them was set for the last two weeks of July and the proposal for a new CBA was accepted by the trade union’s Federal Executive Board. After that, EVG members spent a month voting whether or not to accept the board’s decision, and thus the new CBA will now be enforced.
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