Lufthansa ground staff set to strike amid wage dispute: Report

Ground staff at Lufthansa, are ready to start a strike on Tuesday, as stated by the Verdi union on Sunday, adding to numerous industrial actions unsettling Germany's transport sector.

This is based on a Reuters report.

The strike is scheduled to begin at 4 am local time on Tuesday and conclude early Wednesday morning, affecting airports like Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, Duesseldorf, Cologne, and Stuttgart.

"This strike is an unfortunate development," remarked Michael Niggemann, a member of Lufthansa's executive board overseeing human resources, expressing regret over the impending disruption caused by the industrial action.

Niggemann highlighted Lufthansa's efforts to reach an agreement, charactersing their offer during negotiations as "far-reaching," although it was rebuffed by Verdi.

The strike, he emphasised, would inconvenience both passengers and staff.

The impending strike follows a similar disturbance earlier in February, which led to the cancellation of 900 out of 1,000 planned flights, impacting approximately 100,000 passengers.

The ongoing dispute centres on collective bargaining agreements, with Verdi advocating for a substantial wage increase for around 25,000 ground staff workers.

The union is pushing for a 12.5 per cent wage rise or a minimum monthly increment of 500 euros over a 12-month period, accompanied by a one-time payment of 3,000 euros to counter inflation.

Verdi's demand for higher wages mirrors the broader labour unrest across Germany, where workers in various sectors have staged nationwide strikes, disrupting air travel, railways, and public transportation.

(With inputs from Reuters)