Germany's Verdi union called for a one-day strike of air security staff at Berlin airport on Monday as part of an ongoing wage dispute, prompting the airport to cancel all passenger departures that day. The walkout is due to start at 3:30 a.m. local time (0130 GMT) on Monday and will end at midnight (2200 GMT), the union said. Germany, Europe's biggest economy, has experienced some of its most disruptive strikes in decades this year as unions press for higher pay to offset the surging cost of living.
The planned action follows walkouts at four other German airports - Duesseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne-Bonn, and Stuttgart on Thursday and Friday when more than 700 departures were canceled. "Due to the warning strikes by security staff, no departures of passenger flights will be possible on Monday, April 24," Berlin Brandenburg airport said in a statement, adding arrivals might also be affected. The union has been negotiating with the BDLS aviation security association to push for pay increases for the night, weekend, and public holiday shifts.