Lufthansa Pilots Warn Strike Action Due to Failed Negotiations Over Pay Dispute
According to the pilots’ union, Vereinigung Cockpit, which consists of 9,600 members, legal and organisational preparations for strike action has started after Lufthansa processed an ‘insufficient’ pay offer yesterday morning, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.
“Despite intensive talks between our collective bargaining committee and the employer, no conclusion could be reached about a promising continuation of the negotiations. In addition to compensating for the loss in real wages, what we now need above all is a future-proof solution for the remuneration structure in all professional groups,” Matthias Baier speaking on behalf of Vereinigung Cockpit, noted.
This situation follows the announcement from the end of July, which emphasised that 97.6 per cent of the members working for Lufthansa had voted in favour of industrial action, during which workers could just stop working or doing other actions to hinder flights’ operation.
The move is a low shot for the German carrier, which recently solved a dispute with ground handlers after a strike caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights at the Munich and Frankfurt hubs in July.
During a call over the earnings of the second quarter of 2022 that occurred earlier this month, Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr noted that a “constructive dialogue” between the carrier and the pilots’ union would be completed, with the CEO being positive about reaching a deal.
According to I Am Expat Germany, airports in Germany may face further disruptions, delays, as well as annulations after over 97 per cent of pilots’ union members, voted in favour of industrial action to take place on August 31.
In general, international tourism has experienced a strong comeback in the first months of the year, as almost 250 million international passengers were recorded, as the recent UNWTO World Tourism Barometer pointed out.
More specifically, from January to May of 2021, the sector witnessed a surge of 46 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels, accounting for 77 million additional arrivals.
“Europe welcomed more than four times as many international arrivals as in the first five months of 2021 (+350 per cent), boosted by strong intra-regional demand and the removal of all travel restrictions in many countries,” UNWTO wrote in a statement.
Europe marked a robust recovery, especially in April, with the tourism performance being 458 per cent up from the previous year, while the United States saw 122 per cent more arrivals.
