German train drivers announced Monday that they will initiate a countrywide strike on Friday after negotiations with the national rail operator, Deutsche Bahn, have failed once again.

The union representing train drivers, GDL, is trying to pressure Deutsche Bahn AG (DB) to accept a 30-per-cent pay raise aside from the deal sealed between DB and two other unions.

The Transnet and GDBA unions agreed with a 4.5-per-cent wage hike, but GDL presses for a sturdier commitment from the company involved in a privatization project. Meanwhile, Deutsche Bahn said operations would continue during the dispute and hasn’t adopted a short-term plan to cope with the strike’s effects.

This plan refers to the employment of foreign train drivers, but it will be considered only if the walk-out continues for a longer period than predicted, Deutsche Bahn said. Previously, German newspapers said drivers from Austria and Switzerland could represent a solution to the looming crisis.

The union said more details regarding the upcoming strike will be given on Tuesday, reports indicating that both rail and passenger services are going to be affected.

A Transport Ministry spokesman said minister Wolfgang Tiefensee hopes the strike won’t cause massive losses to the national economy and taint the company’s image in the eyes of passengers.

Last week, Deutsche Bahn and the union representing 80 per cent of Germany’s train drivers held a new round of negotiations that reached another dead end, prompting the GDL to call for a strike on October 5.

The national rail operator said it is willing to accept the same compromise solution as it did with the other unions, adding a higher overtime pay which would represent a total hike of 10 per cent.

But GDL chairman Manfred Schell said this offer represents “only half a tank full” and the protest action will proceed as planned.

Deutsche Bahn announced it intends to maintain more than half of all rail traffic by hiring drivers from other unions and those who aren’t allowed to strike, due to their status as public servants.

In August, the 15,000 drivers represented by GDL staged brief warning walk-outs, but agreed to cease all protest actions for a month. Negotiations took place over this period that expired at midnight Sunday.