Verdi calls on Hamburger Hochbahn employees to go on warning strike

The Verdi union has called on all Hamburger Hochbahn employees to go on a 24-hour warning strike. The strike is scheduled to begin at 3 a.m. Wednesday morning and end at 3 a.m. Thursday morning, the union said on Monday. The next hearing with the employers is scheduled for Thursday. Not affected by the strike on Wednesday are the VHH buses and the S-Bahn services.

The second hearing last Thursday was unsuccessful. According to its own statements, the elevated railway had submitted a modified offer.

Verdi demands 600 euros more monthly wages for the employees. According to the ideas of the union, the collective agreement should have a term of twelve months. In addition, trainees are to receive an additional 258 euros per month and a free professional ticket for local public transport.

According to union information, in the second round of negotiations with a term of 21 months, the employer side offered an increase of 4.5 percent retrospectively to January 1, 2024 and an increase of 130 euros to the table as of January 1, 2024. In addition, the employer offers a tax-free inflation compensation premium of 3,000 euros.

Hochbahn was not yet able to make any statements on Monday afternoon about specific operational restrictions caused by the strike. Passengers should be prepared for trip cancellations and check whether destinations can be reached with other companies' means of transport, it said. The company also commented on the negotiation situation: "Unlike the employers' side, the union has hardly moved and is still sticking to its original demand," it said. The employer side could not understand a warning strike in view of the "significantly improved offer" and calls on ver.di to work constructively on a solution for the company and all employees in the next round of negotiations.

"Without the Hochbahn employees, there can be no mobility turnaround," said Verdi negotiator Irene Hatzidimou weeks ago. It is not enough to invest only in buses, trains and infrastructure for the mobility turnaround. "The employees also need a wage that is enough to live in a city like Hamburg." Union secretary Magdalene Waldeck emphasized that Hochbahn must become an attractive employer again. "Even now, the Hochbahn has to thin out the timetables because there are more than 100 bus drivers missing." Entire lines would be outsourced to fill the homemade staff shortages. "That's not a solution," emphasized Waldeck.