64% of German railway employees face violence, hostility: Survey

Employees of German railway companies are often exposed to violence and verbal abuse, according to a survey, reported dpa.

According to the railway and transport union (EVG), which commissioned the survey, 64% of employees stated that they had suffered violence or hostility in the past 12 months.

Another 38% complained that they had been insulted several times a month. More than one in three feel unsafe at work, the survey shows.

In February, almost 4,000 train attendants, station service staff and hotline employees responded to the EVG's online survey about their experiences of violence at work.

"This study clearly and drastically confirms that our colleagues are already exposed to increasing dangers on a daily basis," said Ralf Damde, head of the general works council of Deutsche Bahn subsidiary DB Regio, according to the union's press release.

According to its own figures, Germany's state-owned railway operator Deutsche Bahn recorded 3,144 assaults on its employees last year. In the previous year, there were 3,161 incidents.

According to the information, almost two thirds of the assaults involved train staff on regional services. As a consequence, the company announced that it would expand the use of bodycams. These devices have proven to be very effective when used by security staff and train attendants.

With a view to the European Football Championship, Damde demanded immediate measures from the railway. He sees imminent safety risks in contact between railway staff and fans.

"We are calling for staff planning according to the dangers posed by rival crowds of fans on buses and trains," he said. Double staffing and sufficient security personnel are needed for the months of June and July 2024, he added.

Violence on the way to and from the stadium must be effectively countered, Damde said. If the railway fails to act, the union has not ruled out strikes during the European Championships.