Union calls Lufthansa ground staff strike at German airports

BERLIN — Union Verdi called on ground staff at Lufthansa to stage a walkout on Tuesday across Germany's biggest airports, in the latest strike to plague the country in recent weeks.

The industrial action affecting seven airports including Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin will start at 4:00 am (03:00 GMT) on Tuesday and end at 7:10 am on Wednesday, the union said in a statement.

No progress had been made in negotiations on working conditions, the union said, calling the strike of 25,000 workers, including maintenance employees and airport counter staff across the company.

Among sticking points were what the union said were an overly low pay offer made to the staff in comparison to other employee categories such as pilots.

"While the company is offering pilots with annual basic wages of up to 270,000 euros ($298,000) raises reaching two digit figures, ground staff are unable to break even given the inflation of the last years," said Verdi's lead negotiator Marvin Reschinsky.

The union added that it expected major flight disruptions over the walkout.

"We don't want this escalation. We want a quick result for employees and passengers," said the union, which is seeking pay rises of 12.5 per cent, and a minimum of 500 euros more a month.

The next round of negotiations will take place on February 21.

Germany has been hit by a spate of strikes across varying sectors including transport, the civil service and supermarkets.

Pinched by inflation over the last years and in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, workers are demanding higher wages to cope with the cost of living.