The wave of strikes at DB comes to a close as drivers secure a 35-hour week starting from 2029

The German Train Drivers’ Union (GDL) and Deutsche Bahn have reached a new collective bargaining agreement, marking the end of months of train strikes.

The GDL union has achieved a gradual transition to a 35-hour workweek for drivers without a reduction in pay.

Following consistent strikes since November 2023, Deutsche Bahn has conceded to granting GDL union members a 35-hour workweek without reducing their pay.

This transition will occur gradually, allowing drivers to work 36 hours per week without a pay cut starting from the beginning of 2027, reducing to 35.5 hours per week in 2028, and eventually settling at 35 hours per week in 2029.

Drivers who choose to work 40-hour weeks can continue to do so and will receive a 2.7 percent pay increase for every hour worked beyond 35 hours per week.

Throughout the strike period, the GDL applied pressure on Deutsche Bahn, disrupting long-distance trains and S-Bahn traffic through historically prolonged strikes after the company consistently rejected proposals for a reduced workweek without a pay cut.

Under the new agreement, employees will receive a monthly wage increase of 420 euros, implemented gradually in two stages, along with a one-time bonus of 2,850 euros to offset inflation.

With the collective bargaining concluded and the new agreement effective for the next 26 months, the GDL and Deutsche Bahn have entered a peace agreement until February 2026, during which Deutsche Bahn train drivers are prohibited from striking.

However, the GDL is one of two unions representing Deutsche Bahn employees, with the EVG being the larger union representing various transportation sector employees, including signaling staff and ticket inspectors.

The most recent collective bargaining agreement with the EVG was reached in August 2023 and is valid until March 2025, indicating a potential for strikes affecting Deutsche Bahn around that time. Nonetheless, widespread industrial action is unlikely until March 2025.

Meanwhile, negotiations between Lufthansa, the company’s cabin crew, and security ground staff continue amidst a surge in strikes across multiple sectors in Germany in recent months.