Deutsche Bahn on Thursday unveiled an ambitious restructuring plan for its freight subsidiary DB Cargo that foresees the loss of around 6,000 jobs in Germany, equivalent to nearly half of its 14,000-strong workforce. The move is designed to make the company self-sustaining, reduce its dependence on public funds and bring it into line with the conditions of an EU competition procedure, for which a formal decision is expected in October.
In its official statement on the corporate blog, the group stresses that the shake-up will be carried out in a “socially responsible” manner, prioritising internal transfers within the Deutsche Bahn group and voluntary severance schemes. “The goal is to align DB Cargo with growing European markets, streamline structures and achieve sustainable profitability,” the company notes, projecting savings of up to 1 billion euros by 2030 through optimising its locomotive and wagon fleet, slimming down back-office functions and overhauling operations.
The backdrop is critical: DB Cargo has been racking up losses for years, a situation worsened by slumping volumes in key segments such as automotive, steel and chemicals, without previous headcount adjustments. Its boss, Bernhard Osburg, who took the controls last autumn with a clear mandate to turn the freight operator around, has now put a radical cost-cutting package on the table.
Cosima Ingenschay, deputy chair of the EVG rail union, delivered a sharp rebuke to the plan. “The workforce must not be made to foot the bill for restructuring. We demand that every alternative be exhausted before resorting to mass redundancies. There will be very tough negotiations; we will fight for every single job,” she warned. The announcement has sent shockwaves through Germany’s rail freight scene, where unions fear a domino effect on jobs and service quality across the sector.