Verdi, the German union, announced that Lufthansa Airlines ground staff would strike on Wednesday, adding to recent labor unrest in the country’s transportation sector.
The union says the strike will start at 4 am and end at 7:10 am on Thursday.
According to AFP, Lufthansa warned up to 90 per cent of its flights could be canceled. Bloomberg says around 100,000 passengers will be affected by the strike.
There will be industrial action at airports in Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, and Dusseldorf.
A series of nationwide strikes have disrupted air travel, railways, and public transportation in Germany.
Most flights will be grounded due to the latest Lufthansa strike.
Lufthansa strike says it’s too early to figure out how many flights were canceled. According to Reuters, the airline devised an emergency timetable to assess the impact.
Lufthansa strike says in a warning to passengers: “Due to the strike, we currently expect that around 10 to 20 percent of Lufthansa’s airline program will be possible.”
You should only come to the airport if your flight isn’t canceled, and rebooking counters will be closed.
Lufthansa’s ground services are one of the various sectors currently bargaining.
For ground staff contracts, Verdi wants a 12.5% wage hike, or a minimum 500 euros ($544.30) monthly increase over a year, plus a 3,000 euro one-time payment to counter inflation.
Air France said it offered workers raises of more than 13 per cent over the next three years, along with substantial inflation bonuses. The union, however, says it’s “completely unacceptable”.
A rise in costs and a heightened workload due to staff shortages justify raising compensation, says the union.
There were widespread flight cancellations last Thursday due to Verdi’s one-day strike among security personnel at most German airports.
The union organized a walkout on Friday, which led to the cancellation of buses, trams, and subway trains across Germany. German contract negotiations typically involve brief “warning strikes” lasting several hours or a day.
Lufthansa strike ground staff went on strike during the previous round of collective bargaining in July 2022.
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