Megastrike cancellation: Why are trains around Germany still facing disruption?
After the cancellation of a 50-hour warning strike which was set to start Sunday evening, most German trains are running normally on Monday - but with a number of delays.
Operations had "largely started as planned" after the weekend, but with many delays, a Deutsche Bahn spokesperson said.
Thousands of employees had been contacted at short notice over the weekend to fill as many shifts as possible, and as quickly as possible, following an agreement which the company struck in a labour court on Saturday afternoon.
READ ALSO: Deutsche Bahn 'megastrike' called off after last ditch agreement
As a reason for the limited services on Monday, Deutsche Bahn explained that around 50,000 journeys in long-distance and local transport needed to be rescheduled with new shift and deployment plans.
“After the DB initially removed thousands of colleagues from the shift plans due to the announcement of the 50-hour warning strike, their assignments now have to be reorganised at short notice,” said Deutsche Bahn in a statement.
Some of the wagons and locomotives were also moved to new departure points. According to DB, restrictions are still to be expected in freight traffic on Monday and Tuesday.
It advised travellers to check the new schedule online or using the DB app.
Which trains are running?
For long-distance traffic, about 90 percent of the planned trains are slated to run on Monday, though travellers should look out for delays. Regional and S-Bahn trains are also running largely without strike-related restrictions.
At the weekend, Deutsche Bahn stated that travellers should expect disruptions on both Monday and Tuesday.
Passengers board a train at Nuremberg Hauptbahnhof. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Daniel Karmann
Because the transport union EVG is negotiating collective agreements not only with Deutsche Bahn, but also with 49 of its smaller competitors, workers at other regional companies are calling for their workers to walk off the job.
In the Munich area, for example, the Bayerische Oberlandbahn and the company Meridian are striking, as are the Ostdeutsche Eisenbahn in Brandenburg and operator Abellio in Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt.
READ ALSO: Train services disrupted in Bavaria as regional workers go on strike
Why was the original 'megastrike' called off?
The walkout had been due to begin at 10:00 pm on Sunday, and end on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday at midnight.
But an accord was finally struck at a Frankfurt court, which Deutsche Bahn had turned to with an emergency appeal.
EVG said the rail operator "told the court unequivocally that it would fulfil our minimum wage requests".
"On the advice of the court, the employer and us reached a settlement," added the EVG spokesman.
EVG represents 230,000 workers across some 50 transport companies, 180,000 of which belong to Deutsche Bahn.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How to get compensation for delayed or cancelled trains in Germany
The union is demanding a 12-percent pay rise over one year for the workers it represents, with a minimum increase of €650 a month.
Deutsche Bahn said it had offered a 10-percent raise as well as an inflation compensation bonus. But negotiations had hit a snag over the lowest-paid workers.
Over the last few months, workers in different sectors including healthcare, childcare and transport have gone on strike to demand better conditions.
The industrial unrest comes as consumers struggle with steep increases in prices, as the cost of energy and food have soared.
With reporting by AFP.
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Operations had "largely started as planned" after the weekend, but with many delays, a Deutsche Bahn spokesperson said.
Thousands of employees had been contacted at short notice over the weekend to fill as many shifts as possible, and as quickly as possible, following an agreement which the company struck in a labour court on Saturday afternoon.
READ ALSO: Deutsche Bahn 'megastrike' called off after last ditch agreement
As a reason for the limited services on Monday, Deutsche Bahn explained that around 50,000 journeys in long-distance and local transport needed to be rescheduled with new shift and deployment plans.
“After the DB initially removed thousands of colleagues from the shift plans due to the announcement of the 50-hour warning strike, their assignments now have to be reorganised at short notice,” said Deutsche Bahn in a statement.
Some of the wagons and locomotives were also moved to new departure points. According to DB, restrictions are still to be expected in freight traffic on Monday and Tuesday.
It advised travellers to check the new schedule online or using the DB app.
Which trains are running?
For long-distance traffic, about 90 percent of the planned trains are slated to run on Monday, though travellers should look out for delays. Regional and S-Bahn trains are also running largely without strike-related restrictions.
At the weekend, Deutsche Bahn stated that travellers should expect disruptions on both Monday and Tuesday.
Because the transport union EVG is negotiating collective agreements not only with Deutsche Bahn, but also with 49 of its smaller competitors, workers at other regional companies are calling for their workers to walk off the job.
In the Munich area, for example, the Bayerische Oberlandbahn and the company Meridian are striking, as are the Ostdeutsche Eisenbahn in Brandenburg and operator Abellio in Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt.
READ ALSO: Train services disrupted in Bavaria as regional workers go on strike
Why was the original 'megastrike' called off?
The walkout had been due to begin at 10:00 pm on Sunday, and end on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday at midnight.
But an accord was finally struck at a Frankfurt court, which Deutsche Bahn had turned to with an emergency appeal.
EVG said the rail operator "told the court unequivocally that it would fulfil our minimum wage requests".
"On the advice of the court, the employer and us reached a settlement," added the EVG spokesman.
EVG represents 230,000 workers across some 50 transport companies, 180,000 of which belong to Deutsche Bahn.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How to get compensation for delayed or cancelled trains in Germany
The union is demanding a 12-percent pay rise over one year for the workers it represents, with a minimum increase of €650 a month.
Deutsche Bahn said it had offered a 10-percent raise as well as an inflation compensation bonus. But negotiations had hit a snag over the lowest-paid workers.
Over the last few months, workers in different sectors including healthcare, childcare and transport have gone on strike to demand better conditions.
The industrial unrest comes as consumers struggle with steep increases in prices, as the cost of energy and food have soared.
With reporting by AFP.
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