As Deutsche Bahn's Board deliberated between favoring DSV or a consortium led by CVC Capital Partners in the bidding war for DB Schenker, Ver.di staged worker demonstrations outside several offices of the German logistics company. The union called on employees to participate in “active breaks” of 15 minutes during lunch. Initial reports indicate that around 180 employees responded to the call, participating at locations such as Nuremberg, Neufahrn, Lindau, and Stuttgart Airport.
In recent weeks, Ver.di has voiced strong opposition to the sale of DB Schenker to the Danish company DSV, expressing a rare preference for CVC (an unusual stance for a union to back a private equity firm) due to concerns over drastic staff cuts. DB Schenker employs around 15,000 people in Germany, and the union fears that DSV could slash as many as 5,000 jobs. Furthermore, Ver.di is worried that workers could lose certain protections, including collective bargaining agreements.
Citing the example of Panalpina, which underwent significant downsizing after being acquired by DSV in 2019, the union underscored its concerns. In response, DSV issued a letter to Deutsche Bahn’s leadership, pledging to limit redundancies to a maximum of 1,900 positions. The Danish company also committed to preserving the integrity of the German business and avoiding any potential breakups.
Despite Ver.di's protests, Deutsche Bahn's Board ultimately favored DSV in its decision. However, the sale is not yet finalized, as it still requires approval from the Supervisory Board, which is set to meet on September 18. This next phase will likely be more politically charged than business-focused, as the Supervisory Board comprises 20 members—half of whom represent workers, although none are from Ver.di (the union Evg is represented). The remaining members, in theory, represent shareholders, but given that Deutsche Bahn’s sole shareholder is the federal government, these members may also be influenced by political factors.
