For the second time in 2024, the ground staff of Lufthansa, Germany’s flag carrier, is set to go on strike on Tuesday, impacting operations at seven airports.
The one-day strike will disrupt services at airports in Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Duesseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne-Bonn, and Stuttgart.
Following a previous disruption affecting over 100,000 passengers and 900 flights, Lufthansa anticipates cancelling at least 80 per cent of its scheduled flights this time, with some cancellations already announced Monday evening.
The 25,000 Lufthansa ground employees are demanding a 12.5 per cent pay increase and a minimum monthly raise of 500 euros over 12 months, along with a 3,000 euro inflation adjustment bonus.
Lufthansa recently proposed a 10 per cent pay rise over the same period, which the trade union Verdi considers inadequate. Verdi negotiator Marvin Reschinsky expressed discontent, stating that ground workers feel neglected, particularly compared to recent pay hikes given to pilots.
Reschinsky highlighted the stark contrast, noting that while pilots received significant raises with annual salaries reaching up to 270,000 euros, ground staff have not seen adequate compensation for rising living costs, deeming it “blatantly anti-social.”
Germany experienced high inflation rates in 2022 and 2023, averaging 6.9 per cent and 5.9 per cent, respectively. Although inflation has moderated, falling below 3 per cent at the start of 2024, certain employee groups are still seeking to recover from previous years’ real wage losses.
The disruption follows a series of strikes by pilots of Lufthansa subsidiary Discover Airlines over the weekend, leading to cancellations of some connections in Munich and Frankfurt, although most were accommodated through rebookings.
