Following the end of the third round of negotiations between the two sides, Lufthansa and the German union trade Ver.di have reached a new wage increase agreement for the company’s ground staff.
Between July 27th and 28th, the union had staged a strike that forced the airline to cancel more than one thousand flights, affecting some 134.000 passengers. The action was taken after the offer presented by the company during the second round of negotiations was criticised as «insufficient».
According to the workers’ representative organisation, which is affiliated to the German Federation of Trade Unions, employees’ wages will be increased in three stages. Initially, they will receive an additional 200 euros retroactively from July 1st this year.
As of January 1st, 2023, wages will be increased by a further 2.5%. The minimum increase will be 125 euros per month. Workers will receive another 2.5% increase from July 1st, 2023. On the other hand, trainees will receive a fixed increase of 180 euros per month. The collective agreement will be in force until December 31th, 2023.
Finally, the lowest paid employees will benefit from an additional increase of at least 13 euros per hour as of next October 1st, followed by two increases planned for next year.
«This is a good result, which means an increase of between 377 and 498 euros per month for all groups of employees», said Christine Behle, vice president and negotiator at Ver.di. «It was important for us to get this real compensation to secure employees in this economically difficult situation», she added. For an airport customer service agent, for example, the agreement means a percentage increase of between 13.6% and 18.4%, depending on seniority.
In addition, Behle highlighted as particularly positive that the increases are not performance-oriented, as Lufthansa had initially planned. She also welcomed the fact that the trainees will be employed for an unlimited period of time.
Meanwhile, negotiations continue between Lufthansa management and the pilots’ union Cockpit, which is demanding a 5.5 % wage increase. Consultations among the affiliated crew members showed an almost unanimous position in favour of strike days if a satisfactory agreement is not reached.
See also: Lufthansa suspends most of its flights this week due to ground crairlines in germgerew strike
