Lufthansa’s ground staff in Germany is gearing up for a strike this Wednesday (Feb 7th), as workers call for better pay. The Verdi union, representing the staff, has called for a one-day strike by Lufthansa’s ground staff as part of a pay dispute, adding to the series of transport strikes in Germany.
The strike, as per news agency AP, will affect Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, and Düsseldorf airports, starting from 4 am (0200GMT) on Wednesday. Reuters reports that the strike will last until 7:10 am on Thursday (Feb 8th).
The demands
The union, as per reports, is advocating for a 12.5 per cent pay increase or a minimum additional monthly amount of 500 euros ($539) for nearly 25,000 employees over a 12-month period. This will cover roles such as check-in, aircraft handling, maintenance, and freight staff.
In addition, they want a one-time payment of 3,000 euros to offset inflation.
The union argues that higher cost of living and heavy workload due to staff shortages warrant a pay rise.
Lufthansa reacts
Lufthansa criticised the scale of the strike and said that said it was working on a special timetable. A spokesperson for the airline said it’s too early to give an exact number but admitted it will likely be a significant disruption, considering their daily schedule of 3,000 flights.
“It will naturally be a lot,” said the spokesperson.
The strike coincides with ongoing contract negotiations in the rail, air, and local transport sector, which has created a challenging period for travellers and commuters in Germany.
Previously, on last Thursday (Feb 1st) Verdi staged a walkout involving security workers at major airports. This led to widespread flight cancellations, while a subsequent walkout on Friday (Feb 2nd) affected local buses, trams, and subway trains across the country. These brief one day or several hours “warning strikes” are a common tactic in German contract negotiations.
(With inputs from agencies)
