BERLIN You can’t tell if the train is running or not.
Train passengers must be prepared for that in the future, the German train drivers’ union said last week.
And the union did not hesitate, but immediately carried out its threat.
The freight transport work stoppages started yesterday, Monday, and will continue for 24 hours. On Tuesday, the passenger trains of the state railway company, Deutsche Bahn, will also stop – already for the sixth time this year.
Until now, locomotive drivers have given two days’ advance notice of upcoming strikes, but now they are calling to prepare for an “unforeseen wave of strikes”.
The German railways are tightening the screws and are also ready to shake the public’s confidence in the train service, because they are fed up with their dwindling purchasing power.
Prices have risen rapidly in recent years, but salaries have not improved accordingly.
More on the subject: Strike fog is now raging in Europe.
Change is in the air
American professor of economics who has lived in Germany for decades Michael C. Burda sees clear signs of change in the German labor market situation.
– This is the first time in decades that the rate of inflation has really accelerated without employees having protection against inflation.
It means that at the same time as inflation has shot up to around eight percent, wages have risen by an average of only 2.8 percent per year.
As prices have risen, the profits of companies have improved, while the real earnings of wage earners have weakened.
– That’s why the wage earners have started demanding what they think they are entitled to, Burda analyzes the strike wave in his office at Berlin’s famous Humboldt University.
According to the professor, the strike in Germany can be seen as a traditional struggle between labor and capital.
– When inflation accelerates, the employee loses his real purchasing power and wants something in return. If he gets what he wants, capital is lost and corporate profits are reduced.
The time is right for trade unions to show their strength now, when at the same time there is a labor shortage in the country. The bargaining power of the employees has strengthened.
– Germany has a historically rare situation when there is a shortage of workers. This has not been seen since the 1950s and 60s, says Burda.
– With a simple demand-supply analysis, it follows from this situation that wages must rise, sooner or later.
Work can be rearranged
In some sectors, companies are competing already from employees by offering them the opportunity to work only four days a week instead of five.
The railway workers say that it is also possible to do their work only four days a week. It only requires new types of work shifts, which were already practiced during the corona pandemic.
According to Professor Burda, higher salaries – or correspondingly shorter working hours – can attract new employees to apply for jobs in the railways. This would alleviate the labor shortage at the same time.
– Higher wages motivate people to work more because they want to earn more.
Productivity can improve as a result of rising wages, employers need to use less labor. Companies then strive to develop machines and use more, for example, artificial intelligence systems that replace workers.
Labor disputes are increasing
A renaissance or rebirth of the trade union movement can be expected, Burda estimates. The employers’ side managed to keep the demands of the German unions in check for a long time by threatening to move their production to Eastern Europe or the United States.
– Now it is no longer possible, as the supply bottlenecks are still unresolved, says Burda.
Global transportation has been severely blocked, first due to the corona pandemic and then due to other crises. That’s why it makes sense to produce nearby.
Salary director of the Verdi trade union in the service industries Norbert Reuter emphasizes that there have been few strikes in Germany so far compared to international standards.
– Now the employees are uniting and are very committed to their goals of getting a higher salary when inflation is so fast, says Reuter.
According to him, all members of Verdi can no longer afford their necessary expenses. In Reuter’s opinion, salaries must be increased significantly.
– Without the right to strike, we would only be able to beg collectively. Because we don’t want to beg, we want to defend our interests through strikes, explains Reuter.