Press Release

A look back at 2024: In that year of chaotic strikes, the German Train Drivers' Union (GDL) had covered the City-Bahn with short-term, so-called wave strikes - which particularly affected safe school transport. At the time, City-Bahn went to court and had these chaotic wave strikes prohibited or restricted in school transport without prior notice in interim proceedings at first and second instance.

However, these court decisions were only valid for the 2024 wage dispute. City-Bahn Managing Director Friedbert Straube: „The City-Bahn has gone to court in order to clarify definitively and in principle which is more important in Germany - the fundamental right to physical integrity and participation in education on the one hand or the unrestricted right to strike on the other.“ Questioning the right to strike in general was never an option for City-Bahn. Friedbert Straube: „Our aim was and is to ensure that schoolchildren can get to school safely with us early in the morning and back home again in the afternoon, even during strikes. The GDL should play its part in this. It's similar to emergency services in hospitals.“

The hearing took place today at the Chemnitz Labour Court. However, the court did not reach a decision on the matter. „As no strike measures have been announced at present, there is no interest in legal protection. With this non-decision, it now unfortunately remains unclear whether the children are entitled to a safe journey to school even during strikes.“, says Friedbert Straube. The school trains account for around seven per cent of the City-Bahn's transport services. City-Bahn has not questioned the fact that the basic right to strike exists for 93 % of the transport service. The City-Bahn is now considering whether to go to the next instance.