Germany: New Airport Strike on March 14

The Ver.di trade union called on workers in their safety and passenger control to proceed to a new strike Thursday at Berlin, Hamburg, Karlsruhe/ Baden Baden, Cologne/ Bonn and Stuttgart. The union, which represents 25,000 airport security service workers in Germany, seeks to put pressure on employers to improve their contribution to ongoing collective negotiations. According to Germany Airport Association estimates, more than 1,100 flights were cancelled on 1 February at 11 major airports in Germany and the pressure is increasing even more as Easter holidays, starting on 22 March, are approaching. According to union spokesman in negotiations with employers, Wolfgang Piper, the mobilisations may be extended and intensified. Ver.di asks for a salary increase of EUR 2.80 per hour, with overtime compensation starting earlier. At the same time, movements of the Independent Aviation Organisation (UFO) are under way. Lufthansa cabin crews are currently on strike on flights taking off from Munich airport and tomorrow they will strike the flight crews scheduled to leave Frankfurt. The union here claims 15% increases in monthly earnings, an 18-month collective contract and an “inflation compensation” of EUR 3,000.