German travel buyer association VDR has condemned ongoing rail strikes that have caused major disruption to Deutsche Bahn services across the country, stating the labour dispute is “massively damaging” Germany’s reputation as a business destination.
The comments come after a drawn-out dispute between the German Locomotive Drivers' Union (GDL) and the national rail operator escalated this week following a call for a six-day strike from 24 to 29 January.
VDR president Christoph Carnier said the strike is “irresponsible” and urged the parties to reach an agreement quickly.
“A six-day strike is unacceptable and puts a considerable strain on the competitiveness of Germany as an industrial location. We respect the train drivers' right to strike, but this drastic approach is ruthless and should not be at the expense of society and the German economy," he said in a statement.
Deutsche Bahn previously stated that its long-distance, regional and S-Bahn suburban rail services would be “massively affected nationwide” during the six-day strike, forcing it to operate an emergency timetable.
This latest walkout is the fourth strike called by GDL since November.
Carnier added: "An ongoing and recurring industrial dispute has serious consequences for the German economy. It also harms the environment by continuing to massively affect the trust of rail passengers.”
“Companies are making great efforts to steer their employees towards the rails from a sustainability perspective [and] in order to continue to implement this plan successfully, business travellers need predictable and reliable mobility,” he said.