German train drivers announce fresh strike for Friday

Feb 24, 2011, 18:19 GMT

Frankfurt - A train drivers' union in Germany has announced its second strike of the week, with major disruptions in nationwide train travel expected for three hours on Friday morning.

The union, the GDL, is demanding that six commercial rail operators and the state-owned Deutsche Bahn company accept a single nationwide collective labour contract with uniform pay for all.

An initial two-hour strike on Tuesday morning caused major disruption. The union is advancing towards an all-out strike from March 7, when a strike ballot of the 26,000 drivers is to be counted.

The union is upset at the break-up of Germany's rail monopoly, which was ordered by the European Union to encourage competition. Most commercial operators now pay drivers less than Deutsche Bahn does.

GDL said at its office in Frankfurt it would disrupt all seven companies' operations.

A Deutsche Bahn spokeswoman criticized the union, saying it should get back to the negotiating table 'instead of blindly playing its games to the disadvantage of passengers.'

She accused GDL of flexing its muscles instead of seriously talking about a fair solution.

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