There are various tariff conflicts that are currently making life difficult for air travelers. Today, the main problem will be a strike by aviation security personnel. There will be no or hardly any departures at five airports.
The wave of strikes at German airports is not slowing down. According to industry estimates, tens of thousands of passengers will again not be able to travel as planned today due to warning strikes by aviation security staff at five airports.
The warning strikes last started at Berlin Airport last night, as a spokesman for the ver.di union confirmed. According to ver.di, it was previously the turn of Hamburg, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden and Cologne/Bonn airports.
580 flight connections canceled
Because of the all-day strike by aviation security forces, passengers cannot enter the security area. According to estimates by the airport association ADV, more than 580 flight connections are likely to be canceled and 90,000 travelers will have to reschedule.
The capital airport BER, Stuttgart and Hamburg airports pointed out on their websites that “no departures” of passenger flights were possible. A large number of flights in Cologne are canceled, and according to the website, all departures at Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport have been canceled or rerouted.
The ver.di union called for further warning strikes by aviation security staff for tomorrow. On Friday, aviation security personnel are scheduled to stop work in Hanover, Dortmund, Weeze, Dresden and Leipzig and again in Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden. In addition, ver.di called on employees in personnel and goods control as well as cargo control at Munich Airport to go on strike from Thursday at 4 a.m. to Friday at 6 a.m. This particularly affects the freight sector.
Germany’s largest airport in Frankfurt is not affected by the warning strikes by aviation security staff this Thursday and Friday. There, as well as in Munich, the two-day strike by Lufthansa cabin crew on Tuesday and Wednesday could still result in isolated delays and flight cancellations.
Negotiations stall
The collective bargaining in aviation security concerns the working conditions of around 25,000 employees of private security service providers. On behalf of the Federal Police, they check passengers, staff and luggage at the entrances to the security area. So far, five rounds of negotiations have failed to produce any results in the conflict.
Ver.di is calling for an hourly wage increase of 2.80 euros over a period of twelve months, with overtime bonuses starting more quickly from the first hour of overtime. According to their own information, the aviation security companies (BDLS) have offered 2.70 euros more per hour in three stages, which would increase monthly wages by 432 euros to 470 euros. The collective agreement should have a term of 24 months. A sixth round of negotiations with ver.di is scheduled for March 20th.
Negotiations for the Lufthansa ground staff have been underway again since Wednesday. Talks between the airline and ver.di should continue this Thursday. Ver.di is charging 12.5 percent more money for the 25,000 Lufthansa employees on the ground for a term of twelve months, while the company has previously offered 10 percent for a term of 28 months. After four rounds of negotiations, an inflation compensation bonus of 3,000 euros is comparatively undisputed.