German rail operator and union reach wage agreement

Deutsche Bahn and the GDL train drivers' union reached a wage agreement on Feb. 27 after months of negotiations, averting planned strikes; a GDL spokesperson said the full details will be presented later in the day.

Deutsche Bahn and the GDL train drivers' union reached a wage agreement on Friday, averting planned strikes that could have affected passenger and freight services. The outcome follows months of talks over pay and working conditions covering about 10,000 staff. A GDL spokesperson said full details of the agreement would be presented later in the day, and Deutsche Bahn confirmed the breakthrough. The settlement comes early in the tenure of new Deutsche Bahn CEO Evelyn Palla. Key points: - Both parties confirmed a wage agreement that ended the immediate threat of strike action. - The talks concerned roughly 10,000 staff represented under the GDL contracts. - The union announced that detailed terms would be presented later in the day; Deutsche Bahn also confirmed the deal. - The GDL had tabled a 40-point list of demands during negotiations, including pay and allowance issues. Summary: The agreement removes the immediate risk of strikes and preserves passenger and freight operations for now. Detailed terms are expected to be published later; any further procedural or operational steps were not specified.