Lengthy new strike?

Rail passengers in Germany might be in for another nasty surprise as the GDL train drivers' union accused rail operator Deutsche Bahn of "provoking further industrial action."

The country faces the prospect of a lengthy new strike after the collapse of talks between the union and the railway company last weekend.

According to the mass-circulation newspaper Bild, the GDL was now considering launching a 91-hour work stoppage to support its demands of a 5-percent pay hike and two hours less work each week, but didn't yet set a date for renewed labor action.

Never-ending tug-of-war

The news broke just two weeks after train drivers walked off the job for 50 hours, resulting in widespread disruptions in rail services across the nation. Last month's labor action was the train drivers' third in two weeks and coincided with the start or end of school holidays in many states.

Deutsche Bahn's management said the union had pulled out of negotiations Sunday, shortly before signing an agreement that it said would have also seen the GDL getting a separate collective bargaining agreement for conductors, hitherto represented by the rival EVG union.

GDL officials for their part claimed Deutsche Bahn had tried to talk them into renouncing the right to strike in the future.

hg/sgb (dpa, AFP)