BERLIN (AP) – Lufthansa and a union representing its ground staff in Germany reached a deal on Thursday to end a pay dispute, a week after a one-day strike that forced the airline to cancel over 1,000 flights.
The deal between Lufthansa and the ver.di service workers’ union, covering some 20,000 staff in various ground operations, entails one-time payments of EUR200 (USD203) each backdated to July 1.
It also foresees an increase in monthly basic salaries of 2.5 per cent – or at least EUR125 per employee – effective January 1 and another 2.5 per cent from July 1 next year. The deal is valid for 18 months.
Lufthansa personnel chief Michael Niggemann said in a statement “in view of the still-high burdens from the pandemic and the uncertain economy, we stretched the salary increase over several steps and ensured longer-term security of planning with an 18-month duration”.
Ver.di chief negotiator Christine Behle said the outcome would even mean an effective raise of up to 18.4 per cent for employees at check-in, arguing that result compensates for high inflation and also means an increase in real wages.
