Strike may stop train traffic in Denmark
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Strike may stop train traffic in Denmark

Strike may stop train traffic in Denmark

 

Banedanmark has informed the railway companies that a potential strike will result in discontinuation of train traffic in Denmark.

Several trade union organizations have issued a strike notice against Banedanmark. The consequence of the received strike notices can potentially result in discontinuation of all train traffic in Denmark, if the strike becomes a reality. This applies for both regional, freight and city train services.

 

Director of Technical Operations Søren Boysen says:

"We have informed the railway companies that the strike notices we have received will affect Banedanmark’s activities broadly in the event of a strike. The level of staffing of very central functions is estimated to be far too fragile and fragmented, hence all railway traffic will be discontinued. We have estimated that on this background we must inform the railway companies, for them to be able to consider this in their planning of materiel and staffing resources."

 

Banedanmark estimates that with such a reduced staffing available, risks and frailty become too severe, as there will be no robustness to compensate for situations such as illness among staff and deviations from the day-to-day operation. A safe and efficient infrastructure depends on available staff 24/7 in case of technical errors, train breakdown, incidents and accidents on the tracks etc. In case of errors or incidents occurring on the railway, it will result in complete breakdown of operations, as the remaining staff will not be able to absorb the handling of such episodes.

A possible strike will also affect many construction projects as well as the work with the railway’s new signalling system.

 

Banedanmark has received strike notices from:

 

  • Danish Railway Trade Union (Dansk Jernbaneforbund)
  • HK Traffic and Railway (HK Trafik og Jernbane)
  • The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC)
  • United Federation of Danish Workers (3F)
  • Danish Metal (Dansk Metal)
  • The Plumber and Pipeline Union in Denmark (Blik- og Rørarbejderforbundet)
  • Danish Painters’ Union (Dansk Malerforbund)

25 percent of Banedanmark’s employees are civil servants, and therefore not part of a potential strike.