Lufthansa's pilots will not go on strike for 48 hours from midnight as an agreement was reached between the airline and the Vereinigung Cockpit union this afternoon. The pilots had planned to hold a 48-hour strike tomorrow, while Lufthansa Cargo pilots would have gone on strike for 72 hours. The union had said that only a serious offer from the airline could avert the planned strikes.
Lufthansa's operations have already been plunged into chaos twice this year. The first was when ground handling staff took strike action earlier this summer. More recently, the airline found itself up against a strike by pilots on Friday, leading to chaos as some German school holidays ended.
Agreement reached
Lufthansa and the Vereinigung Cockpit union have reached an agreement on pay increases for flight deck staff. The agreement was reached this afternoon, meaning that flights will operate as normal for the rest of the week. Marcel Gröls, Chairman of Collective Bargaining at the union, said,
"We are pleased that a result could be achieved at the negotiating table and that further disadvantages for customers, employees, and the company can be avoided as a result... Today important first steps towards sustainable cooperation were taken."
The union remarked that it had agreed to a "partial solution" with Lufthansa, which includes a comprehensive package of monetary and structural issues. This was "essentially agreed and is awaiting elaboration in the coming days". Commenting from its side, a Lufthansa Spokesperson said,
"The pilot union Vereinigung Cockpit has called off the strike. This is good news, especially for our customers. Our flights will take place as planned in the coming days. We are pleased that we were able to reach a solution in constructive talks with the Vereinigung Cockpit."
Lufthansa's crisis management team was due to decide whether flight cancelations for tomorrow were necessary at 12:00 CET. The airline said, "this is necessary for aircraft and crew scheduling, as well as to provide at least minimal advance notice to affected passengers." When no cancelations had been announced long after 12:00, it was quite clear that negotiations between the two sides were going well.
More misery for Lufthansa passengers averted
Assuming a deal wasn't reached between Lufthansa and the Vereinigung Cockpit union today, passengers were going to face even more disruption tomorrow. Lufthansa pilots were set to strike from 00:01 on Wednesday until 23:59 on Thursday. Lufthansa Cargo pilots were to extend their strike until 23:59 on Friday. Last Friday, when Lufthansa pilots last went on strike, the airline was forced to cancel almost all flights to and from Frankfurt Airport and Munich Airport. According to data from RadarBox.com, the airline operated just 371 flights on Friday, down 69% from the 1,188 flights operated the previous Friday.
The union wants to negotiate today
As mentioned, the Vereinigung Cockpit union wanted to sit down for further talks with Lufthansa today. Lufthansa naturally agreed to attend these talks despite the short notice. Commenting this morning, the union's press spokesperson, Matthias Baier, remarked,
"In order to leave no stone unturned in this situation, we have nevertheless offered a negotiation date for Tuesday. According to reports, this will take place. However, it must be clear that the announced strike can only be averted by a serious offer from the company.”
Lufthansa's Chief Human Resources Officer and Labor Director, Michael Niggemann, previously remarked that he couldn't understand the union's strike calls, today commenting,
"It is regrettable that this wage dispute continues to escalate despite an agreed negotiation date. We lack any understanding for this course of action. The path of escalation is also wrong because we know that our pilots would much rather fly than strike. Nevertheless, we will do everything in our power to succeed with an improved offer, even under time pressure."
According to Lufthansa, it had first offered pilots a two-stage basic pay rise of €900 ($895.82). This corresponds to an 18% basic pay rise for an entry-level co-pilot, while captains close to retirement would notice a 5% increase. Lufthansa made an improved offer today.
Discover more aviation news here.
The airline previously said the union's initial proposals would increase its payroll costs by approximately €900 million, or more than 40% over the next two years. Following a ruling by the Munich Labor Court, the union presented new demands today. The previous demand has been replaced by a demand for an annual pay increase of 8.2% starting in 2023 - in addition to a 5.5% increase this year.
What do you make of the latest strike threat? Will an agreement be reached, or will Lufthansa cancel more flights? Let us know what you think and why in the comments below!
Airlines involved
-
Lufthansa
- IATA/ICAO Code:
- LH/DLH
- Airline Type:
- Full Service Carrier
- Hub(s):
- Frankfurt Airport, Munich Airport
- Year Founded:
- 1953
- Alliance:
- Star Alliance
- Airline Group:
- Lufthansa Group
- CEO:
- Carsten Spohr
- Country:
- Germany
-
Lufthansa Cargo
- IATA/ICAO Code:
- LH/GEC
- Airline Type:
- Cargo Airline
- Hub(s):
- Frankfurt Airport
- Year Founded:
- 1977
- Airline Group:
- Lufthansa Group
- CEO:
- Dorothea von Boxberg
- Country:
- Germany
