DB Cargo about to close: Senftenberg is fighting for the location!

DB Cargo about to close: Senftenberg is fighting for the location!

Deutsche Bahn is facing major challenges. Especially their freight transport subsidiary DB Cargo is planning to close several workshops across Germany in order to finally get back into the profit zone. Among the affected locations is the workshop in Senftenberg, the only location in Brandenburg that is on the list. With around 50 employees, this step will not only have a financial but also a social impact.

It looks like DB Cargo is a problem child for the railways. The EU Commission has clearly stated that the company must be profitable next year. In order to get closer to this goal, the workshops and workshop organizations should be adapted to future performance requirements. The aim is to increase vehicle availability, shorten workshop times and achieve greater efficiency through specialized teams. The mirror reports that this is all part of a solidarity plan that was handed over to the general works council at the end of July.

Comprehensive job cuts

The planned closure is just the tip of the iceberg. DB Cargo plans to cut around 5,000 jobs in the medium term. Around 170 jobs are affected nationwide. In addition to the closure of the Senftenberg location, the branch offices in Magdeburg, Hamburg-Billwerder, Osnabrück, Rostock and Offenburg, among others, will also be closed. Only 10 of the 11 large workshops will be preserved; the workshop in Mainz-Bischofsheim will also be closed. In Halle, Seelze and Oberhausen, maintenance will in future only focus on locomotives, while wagon maintenance will no longer be carried out. This not only causes unrest among the affected employees, but also arouses resistance from unions.

The Railway and Transport Union (EVG) has already announced that it will fight against the plans and criticized DB Cargo's approach as haphazard and without a future-oriented vision. The German Locomotive Drivers' Union (GDL) also describes the closure plans as a “scandal” and warns of negative consequences for all transport. The Süddeutsche Zeitung highlights that despite reduced losses, an operating deficit remains in the first half of 2023, which illustrates the urgency of the restructuring measures.

Outlook on the negotiations

The first negotiations with employee representatives about the announced cuts are scheduled to begin in September. However, the affected employees are promised that jobs within the company will be offered. It remains to be seen whether this actually brings comfort to employees or whether fears of insecurity and job loss outweigh them.

In view of the threat of closures and planned job cuts, many are fighting for their future, while at the same time the question arises as to whether rail prices will rise due to the threat of price increases in rail tolls. The next few months could be decisive in determining the direction in which DB Cargo moves - we can only hope that those responsible have a good hand and can set the course for a positive development.