The Verdi union announced that ground staff at Lufthansa Airlines, the German flag carrier, is set to go on a strike on Wednesday, adding to the recent wave of labour unrest in the country’s transportation sector as employees push for higher wages.
According to the union’s statement, the strike is scheduled to commence at 4am and conclude at 7:10am on Thursday lasting 27 hours.
Lufthansa has cautioned that up to 90 per cent of its flight schedule will face cancellation, AFP reported. The strike will affect around 100,000 passengers, as per Bloomberg.
The industrial action will affect airports in Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, and Dusseldorf.
Germany, Europe’s largest economy, has experienced a series of nationwide strikes impacting air travel, railways, and public transportation.
A spokesperson for Lufthansa mentioned that it is too early to determine the exact number of flight cancellations. The airline devised an emergency timetable to assess the potential impact on its 3,000 daily flights, Reuters reported.
In a warning to passengers, Lufthansa said as per AFP, “Due to the strike, we currently assume that around 10 to 20 per cent of the Lufthansa airline programme will be possible.”
It also said, “Please only come to the airport if your flight has not been cancelled,” adding that rebooking counters will be closed too.
Ground services represent one of the various sectors within Lufthansa presently engaged in collective bargaining discussions.
In negotiations concerning contracts for ground staff, Verdi is pressing for a wage hike of 12.5 per cent for 25,000 employees, or a minimum increase of 500 euros ($544.30) monthly over a span of 12 months, coupled with a one-time payment of 3,000 euros to counteract inflation.
The airline said it has put forward a proposal offering workers raises amounting to over 13 per cent within the next three years, along with the immediate disbursement of substantial inflation bonuses AFP reported. However, the union has dismissed the offer as “completely unacceptable”.
The union contends that a rise in the cost of living and heightened workload due to staff shortages justify increased compensation.
Last Thursday, Verdi called a one-day strike among security personnel at the majority of Germany’s major airports, resulting in widespread flight cancellations.
On Friday, it organised a walkout, leading to the cancellation of local buses, trams, and subway trains across much of Germany. These brief “warning strikes” lasting several hours or a single day are a typical strategy employed in German contract negotiations.
In July 2022, Lufthansa ground staff went on strike during the prior round of collective bargaining talks, leading to significant disruptions in travel.