The Verdi union announced that ground staff at Lufthansa, the German flag carrier, will strike on Wednesday. This is the latest instance of industrial action in Germany's transport sector, where workers are demanding higher pay. The strike is scheduled to commence at 4 a.m. (0200 GMT) and last until 7:10 a.m. on Thursday, according to the union's statement. The airports in Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, and Dusseldorf will be affected.
.gif)
Lufthansa has stated that it is too early to say how many flights will be canceled, as the airline is currently preparing an emergency timetable that will examine the 3,000 daily flights that could be potentially impacted by the strike. A Lufthansa spokesperson stated that the number of cancellations will naturally be significant.
Ground services are one of several branches at Lufthansa that are currently negotiating collective bargaining agreements. Verdi is demanding a wage increase of 12.5% for 25,000 workers or, at a minimum, 500 euros ($544.30) more per month over 12 months, as well as a one-time payment of 3,000 euros to offset inflation, during talks over contracts for ground staff. The union has argued that higher pay is justified due to a higher cost of living and a heavy workload caused by staff shortages.
During the previous round of collective bargaining negotiations, Lufthansa ground staff went on strike in July 2022, causing significant travel disruption. Since then, several nationwide strikes have impacted air travel, railways, and public transportation in Europe's largest economy.