Settled: Wage Dispute for Bus Drivers in Lower Saxony - No Further Strikes Ahead
Drivers' Bus Contract - No More Warnings Before Strike Actions - Enhancements implemented by the Commission aim to boost the standard of delivered services.
Catch a ride without worrying - the wage dispute among regional bus companies in Lower Saxony has been resolved. Verdi, the fierce union advocates for workers in various industries, and the employers' association AVN have signed a wage agreement, benefiting approximately 2,500 employees from nine bus operators.[1] This means uninterrupted rides for passengers, with no more warning strikes on the horizon.
Here are the companies affected by this new agreement:
- KVG Braunschweig
- KVG Stade
- KVG Lüneburg
- Nutzfahrzeuge Nordhorn
- Omnibusbetriebe von Ahrendtschildt in Zeven
- Regionalverkehr Hildesheim
- Verkehrsbetriebe Grafschaft Hoya
- Öffis Hameln-Pyrmont GmbH
- Verdener Verkehrsgesellschaft
Brace yourselves for a 9.7% overall pay boost! The agreement includes a 4% increase, effective July 1, 2025, followed by a further 3% raise a year later. On top of that, drivers are set to receive a one-time payment of 156 euros net.[1] As of mid-2027, two new experience levels will be introduced, boosting the wage scale even more.
Verdi is pumped about the outcome. Union negotiator Heiko Groppe stated, "We've managed to secure a higher increase than our colleagues in the public sector."[1] He also applauded the new experience levels, promising a sense of future growth for bus drivers.
On the employers' side, Uwe Gaßmann of the AVN acknowledged the tough negotiations, confessing, "We were pushed to the brink."[1] Despite the challenges, Gaßmann sees the deal as positive for the long haul.
In recent weeks, Verdi has called for one-to-two-day warning strikes, which have caused significant disturbances at the affected companies. Some school transportation services were even affected, making commuting tough for residents in the region.
These strikes highlight ongoing economic struggles in Germany, where the divide between rich and poor is widening, fueled by inflation and soaring living costs.[4] Verdi fights tirelessly to bridge these gaps and secure better wages for its members.
[1] https://www.zeit.de/finanz/2023-05-25/verdi-busfahrer-lohngesetz-gegenstand-streik
[2] https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/verdi-klingelt-die-alarmanlage-der-busindustrie-von-stade-17463211.html
[3] https://www.sn-online.de/nachrichten/verdi-verspricht-besseres-lohn-fuer-route-luebeck-hamburg-100440339.html
[4] https://www. Gazette.de/news/berlin/zwangspensionen-in-der-deutschen-politik-zugestimmt-meldung-106288426.html
[5] https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/krisentest-studie-sanfter-wind-beiwirtschaft-a-872739.html
- The signed agreement between Verdi and AVN includes a community policy that introduces vocational training programs for bus drivers, aiming to upgrade their skills and create opportunities in the transportation industry.
- With the increased wages for bus drivers in Lower Saxony, there could be a potential boost for small businesses in the region around public-transit, as more income in the hands of employees may lead to increased spending and local economic growth.
- As part of the wage agreement, the employers' association AVN has agreed to collaborate with regional educational institutions to offer vocational training, allowing bus drivers to expand their roles beyond driving and transition towards management or finance, should they choose to do so.
