German union calls for Friday strike at seven airports

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Feb 2023 11:40

The Verdi trade union heads to stage a strike in the airports of Bremen, Dortmund, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, and Stuttgart.

Demonstrators taking part in a protest staged by the Verdi trade union in Berlin, Nov. 25, 2021 (Reuters)

Workers at seven German airports, including Frankfurt and Munich, will stage a one-day strike on Friday to push their demand for higher wages, the Verdi trade union announced on Wednesday.

The walkout is expected to cause delays and cancellations for tens of thousands of passengers, especially those traveling on domestic flights.

"The workers are jointly putting pressure on their respective employers because negotiations so far haven't achieved any results," Verdi Deputy Chairwoman Christine Behle indicated in a statement.

Verdi is currently leading negotiations for public sector workers, airport ground crew, and aviation security staff, demanding better pay at a time when workers are seeing their incomes eroded by the higher cost of living.

The one-day stoppage will affect airports in the cities of Bremen, Dortmund, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, and Stuttgart.

However, Verdi noted that flights delivering aid to earthquake-hit Turkey and Syria will not be impacted.

The union urged travelers to be understanding and said it had made the strike announcement early to allow time for passengers to make alternative plans.

"Inflation, high energy and food prices are forcing many workers into a precarious situation," said Behle. "They need significantly more money to make a living."

Last month, the union staged a similar strike at Berlin Brandenburg airport, leading to the cancellation or rescheduling of around 300 flights.

Monika Schnitzer, the head of the council of economists that advises the German government, pointed out that inflation in Germany is likely to remain high until the end of 2024.