Bahn Says New Strikes Possible After Union Split

Deutsche Bahn said that new strikes were possible after a split between its unions dimmed chances of securing a new wage agreement.

German rail operator Deutsche Bahn said on Thursday that new strikes were possible after a split between its unions dimmed chances of securing a new wage agreement by an end-of-month deadline.

After months of disruptive walkouts, Deutsche Bahn and its unions agreed last month to hold talks on a new wage deal with the aim of reaching a compromise by the end of September.

But on Thursday, the Transnet and GDBA unions said their attempts to cooperate with another union representing train drivers had collapsed.

"Naturally we now recognise that there is a chance" of new strikes, Bahn personnel chief Margret Sukale told reporters in Berlin.

The 34,000-member GDL drivers' union had previously refused to sign up to a wage deal agreed by the two other unions that foresaw salary increases of 4.5 percent. The September talks were aimed at getting a single deal for all three unions.

GDL rejected sharp criticism from the other unions and said it planned to continue the wage talks.

The drivers say they are underpaid given the high level of responsibility required in the job and compared with drivers in other European countries.

They staged walkouts in recent months that disrupted passenger and freight services. The strikes have come at an awkward time for the company, which is on track to be partly privatised by 2009.