Signals of peace on the rails: German Railways and GDL move closer together

After months of intense negotiations over working hours and pay, the signs are now pointing toward reconciliation between Deutsche Bahn and the German Train Drivers' Union (GDL) – a long-awaited ray of hope in a tough wage dispute. The state-owned company has invited to an information event to present the current status of negotiations. It is expected that the parties will not announce a preliminary result but a final agreement, as both sides have emphasized in advance their commitment to constructive talks and working towards a swift resolution of the conflict. At the heart of the dispute has been the GDL's goal of reducing the weekly working hours for their shift workers from 38 to 35 hours without resulting in a loss of income. In the last round of negotiations, Deutsche Bahn was already willing to compromise, proposing a gradual adjustment to 36 hours by the year 2028, an offer that the GDL initially did not accept. The details of the potential compromise remain intriguing, as the negotiating partners have not yet shown their hands. The hope for a swift resolution mainly rests on the optimistic signals that were recently sent by both sides. Claus Weselsky, the hard-line chief negotiator for the train drivers' union, and the management of Deutsche Bahn seemed determined to finally establish the long-overdue industrial peace.