German train drivers agree to discuss new offer

Germany's GDL train drivers union agreed on Monday to re-enter wage talks with Deutsche Bahn and hold off on further strikes for now, but warned a new wage offer from the state-owned rail operator must be improved.
The union, which has staged walkouts since July that have hit the railways and the German economy, slammed Deutsche Bahn chairman Hartmut Mehdorn for an offer they said failed to meet their demands. But the renegade union, whose 34,000 train drivers are just a small part of Germany's biggest company, nevertheless said they were willing to hold one more negotiating session on Monday, December 3 to see if an agreement could be reached.
GDL leader Manfred Schell said the train drivers' union would not give up their demand for a separate labour contract, which has become a key sticking point. "The GDL executive and wage committees have nevertheless agreed to begin wage negotiations," GDL said in a statement. "But further strikes will be provoked if no agreement on a separate labour contract can be reached."
Mehdorn had urged the GDL to accept the rail operator's improved pay offer. "We've done everything possible to give the train drivers as much autonomy as possible," he told reporters. "We can't go any further." He said the offer included an 8 percent raise, which could rise to 13 percent more pay if train drivers elected to work an extra two hours per week. Mehdorn said the deal also envisioned more independence for the train drivers union.
Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has largely avoided any direct intervention in the dispute, had urged the two sides earlier on Monday to resolve the conflict. Schell said he was annoyed that Mehdorn had released the details of secretive one-on-one talks, which had raised hopes for a settlement. There was also irritation that Mehdorn had described the new offer as a raise of 8 to 13 percent, when increases above 8 percent were predicated on more work hours.
German politicians fear more strikes could hurt an economic upswing that faces threats from the surging euro currency and the fallout from a mortgage lending crisis in the United States. Mehdorn, whose dream of privatising and modernising the rail company is at risk, has refused to meet GDL demands for a separate deal after two other rail unions accepted improved terms. GDL rejected an earlier 4.5 percent raise.