A recent vote by employees of Deutsche Bahn (DB), members of the train drivers’ union GDL (Gewerkschaft Deutscher Lokomotivführer), has yielded surprising results regarding planned changes to working hours and compensation. Initially, a deal negotiated by the GDL stipulated that, beginning January 2026, train drivers, train attendants and maintenance personnel would reduce their working hours to 37 hours per week from the current 38, without a corresponding reduction in salary. This reduction was slated to progress further, reaching a 35-hour work week by 2029.
Between now and June 30th, employees were given the option to either accept the reduced hours or opt for increased compensation instead. According to reports in the Süddeutsche Zeitung, nearly 70% of eligible employees participated in the vote, with over 90% of full-time shift workers affiliated with the GDL choosing to prioritize higher wages over the initial reduction in working hours.
Deutsche Bahn has responded positively to the outcome. Internal documents suggest the overall effect on upcoming schedules will be “plus-minus zero” indicating no anticipated reduction in capacity. This result is being viewed as particularly favorable given previous GDL demands concerning working hours and projections surrounding potential staffing shortages – estimates had previously suggested potentially up to 1,000 lost full-time positions.
The outcome poses questions regarding the alignment of union negotiations with the preferences of the majority of members, a point that has prompted discussion surrounding the original demands championed by former GDL leader Claus Weselsky. Nevertheless, the union maintains that employees still benefit from the agreement, receiving a 2.7% wage increase for each hour of work they forgo. The phased reduction in working hours and the associated compensation adjustments remain scheduled to proceed as planned.
