Many flights operated by Lufthansa airline are expected to be delayed or cancelled on Wednesday, as one of the company's main trade unions, Verdi, called for an all-day strike by the airline's ground staff as part of an ongoing pay dispute.
The call follows failed negotiations between Lufthansa and about 20,000 of its ground staff and comes at an already tense time for European aviation with numerous strikes and chaos at airports leading to flight delays and cancellations.
"Verdi calls for the all-day strike to increase pressure on employers to agree to a significantly improved final offer in the next round of negotiations," the union said in a press release on Monday. The strike will start early on Wednesday 27 July at 03:45 and will end on Thursday morning 28 July at 06:00.
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All ground workers – including those who maintain aircraft – are called to go on strike. This will lead to major cancellations and delays.
"The situation at the airports is escalating: employees are increasingly overburdened by significant staff shortages, high inflation and a three-year wage cut," said Verdi's deputy chair Christine Behle.
"Staff are in urgent need of better pay and new recruits – for themselves and for the passengers. The employer's offer falls far short."
All airports in Germany where Lufthansa aircraft are operated are expected to be affected by the strike, most notably Frankfurt/Main, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Hamburg, Munich and Berlin.
