For each day of the strike machinists Germany loses 1 billion. Euro

In Germany, the locomotive drivers are on strike. The largest in the history of concern "German Railways" and the country's strike began on Wednesday and will continue until 2 am on Saturday. The strike takes place not only on freight and commuter trains, but also on long-distance trains. Machinists sought by an individual employer's collective agreement and salary increase of 31%. The current average salary of train drivers, net of tax of EUR 1,500 per month.

To strike well prepared both sides. Cash union, which compensates for the striking loss of pay, and it is full of enough time. On Thursday in the eastern states were canceled flights 85% of trains in the West did not go nearly half of the locomotives. Information about the strike, provided that the parties differ markedly. The union says more than 3,000 machinists went on strike on Thursday, employers - about 1900.

Employers, for their part, have done their utmost for that. To avoid chaos. For example, only a third of the strike affected the movements of high-speed long-distance trains ICE.

Confrontation management group and union machinists continued for six months, said the head of the department of passenger concern Karl-Friedrich Rausch: "This strike is pointless, and the dispute could be reasonable for a long time to resolve. But if the union believes it can force us to surrender unconditionally, then he will not succeed ».

With the approval of the senselessness of the shares disagrees union leader machinists Manfred Schell, "I do not understand why it is possible for months to force the entire country just because the leadership of rail transport simply refuse serious negotiations with us, making ridiculous suggestions».

If the strike goes into an indefinite, the consequences for the German economy as a whole could be catastrophic, he said Deutsche Bank Stefan Bihlmaier: "The cost of the strike to the economy will rise sharply on the fourth day, especially in freight transport. The strike will cancel shifts, and in the energy sector, for example, will soon begin to feel the lack of raw materials, the company will incur huge losses, and then it can lead to total loss of 500 million to 1 billion euros a day ».

In support of experts' forecasts can be said that the major problems have arisen, for example, the Port of Hamburg, which is usually sent out 200 freight trains per day. On the territory of the port is already accumulated thousands of containers not unloaded.

The positions of the sides of the increasingly embittered. On Thursday evening, the Supervisory Board met the group. Member of the Supervisory Board Georg Brunnhuber few days ago suggested solutions - to select the locomotive economy into a separate entity and within its framework to meet the demands of the strikers, but it is not supported. Today Georg Brunnhuber has said something else: "Our advice is absolutely on the side of the management and support of his hard line against the strikers».

Moreover, the company sue the union in the Labour Court of Frankfurt in the amount of EUR 5 million, accusing the strikers of violations of the law during the strike in July.

A source