Lufthansa has returned to normal operations after the Verdi warning strike by ground staff. After more than 1000 flight cancellations due to strikes, only a few short flights were canceled on Thursday, as the company reported in Frankfurt. Almost all flights take place, said a spokeswoman. Longer queues of passengers formed in Frankfurt in the morning at the identity checks and no longer at the check-in counters.
The Verdi union ended the warning strike that had begun on Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. as planned. According to Lufthansa, 134,000 passengers were affected by the flight cancellations. Verdi had called around 20,000 Lufthansa ground staff nationwide to a warning strike in order to build up pressure in the salary negotiations. In the coming week, the two parties want to negotiate again from Wednesday (3 August).
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing called on the union and companies to quickly resolve the wage war. “Responsible and fast negotiation is appropriate after air traffic already has enough problems to deal with,” said the FDP politician to “Bild”. The conflict must be resolved within the framework of collective bargaining autonomy. “Both parties to the collective bargaining agreement should think of the travelers and not settle their dispute on their backs.”
Even before the Verdi negotiations, the pilots’ union “Vereinigung Cockpit” (VC) wants to end its ballot among Lufthansa pilots on Sunday. With the approval of at least 70 percent of those entitled to vote, the VC would be ready to strike. But that does not automatically mean another strike, VC collective bargaining board member Marcel Gröls made clear again on Thursday. He told the “Spiegel”: “If the majority of the pilots are in favor of it, that doesn’t mean that there will be a strike right away. But it’s a warning sign. And we don’t bluff.”
Busy days can be expected at the airports as Baden-Württemberg has started its summer holidays and Bavaria will follow at the weekend. Verdi has ruled out further industrial action before the next round of negotiations next week.
