Tuesday, October 7, 2014

GDL: The strike logistics – TIME ONLINE

GDL: The strike logistics – TIME ONLINE

When in the evening the train drivers strike begins sophisticated logistics: How does the union most effective German trains lame

 members of the union of train drivers (GDL) during a warning strike in Berlin on September 1, 2014

members of the union of the train drivers (GDL) during a warning strike in Berlin on September 1st, 2014 | © Soeren Stache / dpa

The most important strike rule is simple : A train driver should never stop on the open road, but must move to the next station. And what happens when all the tracks are occupied in the station already? Bernd Homann has a ready answer serene. “Then you have to just continue until something is free,” says the 44-year-old engineer from Frankfurt / Oder. We can not stand around with the passengers in the train for hours somewhere on the open road yes.

The rule must comply with the drivers, if they lay down their work tonight. Of 21 clock until Wednesday morning 6 clock to strike – everywhere. Homann, local leader of the GDL in Frankfurt / Oder, which holds for a acceptable period of time, eventually it will mainly affect the nightly freight and not many on day traveler. “We take the concerns of the population very much to heart,” he says. The safety and health of passengers have always given priority and be protected at all times.

The GDL even holds ready a strike Directive, everything goes according to a predetermined schedule, it is said of the union. “We’re not going foaming at the mouth”, so it formulated Homann. If he abstelle about the train in a station, he let in air conditioning and door control and stay in the vicinity. With posters and West, he then demonstrate with colleagues. “And of course, we face the conflict with the traveler in order to explain our position.”

When employers Deutsche Bahn it is – not surprisingly – extremely annoyed by the strikes. For the railways continue to run together the threads, even during the strike. If an engineer decides to participate in the strike, he must inform the so-called Zugdisposition the web. For the long-distance trains these headquarters are located in Frankfurt am Main, plus there are seven regional centers, including in Hamburg and Leipzig. From here, the trains are coordinated at the 34,000-kilometer rail network.

Are there any “sophisticated strike plans”?

The web claims that the GDL had “sophisticated strike plans” to paralyze the targeted traffic. The GDL again says: We proceed according to the principle “strike next station”. Probably but it is already sufficient when two ICE railroad block in a train station, to provide big mess.

The path it falls more and more difficult to prepare for a strike by train drivers, because the union notifying only the period, but not exactly where will strike complained a railway spokesman. According banal, the company is initially retained in its advice to customers. The web recommends possible to use trains that are before the strike began on goal. Lack of accurate information of the GDL were information about failures and possible replacement bus only possible after the strike began.

age 18 Clock is a free service number at 08000 99 66 33 reachable; Information is also available on the website of the web. It is also reflected accommodating: Who his journey could not do as planned due to strike-related cancellations or delays, should use his ticket even higher quality trains: So the IC ticket is also valid in the ICE. Zugbindungen of savings price tickets are also removed in this case. In addition, statutory passenger rights apply, such as when an overnight stay is necessary.

A long train full of resentment

Despite the grace: It is already clear that a GDL strike does not work without trouble on the stage. Some drivers would have no announcement park their trains and strike, the announcer annoys. The vermiese passengers the mood even more. 800 people can fit into a crowded, long ICE – in case of emergency a long train full of resentment.

In addition, a strike pulls consequence problems. Because what if the train conductor after three hours strike has Feierabend – and must take the well so as not to exceed their maximum working hours? There is a rapid turnover of staff – and in serious cases by taxi.

The great work is for all those involved in the Wednesday morning when the big clean up begins. The trains are on track sections, where they are not supposed to be, some in need of maintenance, some need to another location. For some, perhaps standing at an ultrasound examination of the axes, the compartments must be clean and the toilets are pumped. Until the logistics chaos settles, it will probably take another hour.

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