German train drivers put planned rail strike on hold

BERLIN, Aug 8 (Reuters) German train drivers said today they were putting on hold plans to stage nationwide strikes after a German industrial tribunal banned the stoppages, which were due to start tomorrow.

''Naturally, we will now appeal (against the ruling),'' Manfred Schell, head of the GDL train drivers' union, told German television, adding negotiations on the wage dispute with rail operator Deutsche Bahn could start tomorrow.

The strike, which had been due to start with a four-hour stoppage of freight services tomorrow before spreading to passenger services, would have been the first nationwide rail strike since 1992.

It had threatened to disrupt travel for 5 million passengers a day and companies and industry groups had warned the strike could even put a dent in the country's economic growth if it lasted for more than a couple of weeks.

Earlier, Werner Bayreuther, chief negotiator for Deutsche Bahn, told reporters that a tribunal in Nuremberg had banned the strikes.

The drivers have rejected a deal reached with two other, larger rail workers unions. About 134,000 members of those two unions have already agreed to a 4.5 per cent wage increase.

The rebel GDL union, with 34,000 members, wants its own agreement, and a 31 per cent pay rise.

Reuters GT RN1436