DB Cargo, the freight division of Deutsche Bahn, has unveiled a restructuring plan that includes eliminating around 5,000 jobs. The announcement was made in early December 2024 by the company's CEO, Sigrid Nikutta, who specified that the reduction will be completed by 2029. This figure significantly surpasses the 2,300 redundancies agreed with unions in October 2024. According to Nikutta, around 1,000 employees voluntarily left the company in 2024, while 650 were offered alternative roles within the DB Group, and 700 are expected to take part in a voluntary redundancy programme. This leaves approximately 2,650 positions still to be cut over the next five years.
The restructuring aims to achieve break-even financial results by 2026, a goal deemed necessary as the European Commission has ruled that Deutsche Bahn, being state-controlled, can no longer cover the losses of its subsidiaries. In 2023, DB Cargo recorded losses of €497 million, despite an increase in revenue. Nikutta's announcement has alarmed the German trade union EVG, which criticised the company’s management for failing to honour its commitments, referencing the October 2024 agreement for 2,300 job cuts. The union also expressed concern that DB Cargo’s workforce reduction might lead to a shift of freight from rail to road, viewing this as a negative signal for the transition to more sustainable transport modes.
