News / German rail strike another headache for supply chain managers

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A sudden 24-hour strike on Germany’s railways has brought further headaches for Europe’s supply chain managers already contending with industrial disruption on Flemish waterways.

Germany’s GDL union announced on Wednesday the strike would run until 10pm today – affecting both freight and passenger services; its latest action in an ongoing dispute with state operator Deutsche Bahn (DB).

DB has well-developed strategies in place to mitigate the impact from strikes on its passenger services, but its cargo wing has been left more exposed.

Reportedly, it has focused its efforts on ensuring the continuity of operations linking Germany’s industrial sectors, but has purportedly warned that a production standstill “cannot be ruled out”, amid delays and cancellations resulting from the strike.

Talks between DB and the GDL broke off at the end of November, with the union still seeking a reduction in working hours from 38 to 35 a week. It is also seeking a monthly salary increase for its members of €555, and a one-off compensation bonus of €3,000, as workers continue to struggle with the pressures brought about by spiking inflation.

DB has rejected any change in working hours, citing a continuing labour increase, but has offered an 11% increase in wages.

For Europe’s supply chain managers, despite its short tenure, the strike will only compound the difficulties they are contending with from strikes along Belgium’s waterways, affecting the continent’s second largest container port, Antwerp.

Port of Antwerp told The Loadstar the industrial action started on Monday, and it was “very hard to predict” how long it would last.

The latest updates from Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) released today show that the Port of Antwerp has a delay of eight ships incoming and four ships outgoing. The Port of Zeebrugge shows fewer delays but is still backlogged with six ships incoming and two ships outgoing.  

It said that it cannot assure normal operations will be resumed until the unions officially end their actions. An end date to industrial action currently has not been announced.