The German Railway and Transport Union (EVG) has called a 25-hour warning strike at Alstom Lokomotiven Service GmbH, starting Monday, 28 September at 05:00. According to an EVG press release, pickets will be set up at the main overhaul plant in Stendal (Saxony-Anhalt) as well as satellite workshops in Chemnitz and Waibstadt. The union accuses Alstom of refusing to close a €500-per-month pay gap between Stendal staff and colleagues at other German sites. Although the walk-out targets maintenance rather than train-operating crews, mobility managers should expect knock-on effects: Alstom’s Stendal depot handles heavy repairs for regional diesel locomotives and shunting engines used by DB Cargo and private freight operators. A prolonged stoppage could delay rolling-stock hand-backs and reduce spare-fleet availability, increasing the risk of last-minute service cancellations in the coming weeks. Alstom is a strategic supplier: its German service arm supports more than 280 employees in Stendal and dozens more in Chemnitz and Baden-Württemberg. The plant’s history dates back to 1873, and it now services modern hybrid locomotives crucial for mixed passenger-freight corridors. For business travellers the immediate impact on 28 September should be limited to potential freight-path reallocations, but if talks fail and the dispute escalates, EVG could extend industrial action to drivers and workshop staff at train-operating companies – a scenario that has paralysed inter-city services twice this year. Corporate mobility teams should monitor DB customer information and build contingency time into itineraries for domestic rail trips in October. EVG spokesman Jan Melzer said the union remained open to talks “the minute Alstom tables a serious offer”. The next bargaining round is pencilled in for 2 October; HR professionals with employees seconded to Alstom projects should watch for updates and advise travelling technicians to avoid the affected sites during picketing hours.
Source: EVG via Presseportal
