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FRANKFURT, Sept 6 (Portal) – German airline Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) and pilots’ union VC announced on Tuesday that they have reached an agreement in a wage dispute and averted a second strike that was planned for later this week.
The deal comes after a strike at Lufthansa last week forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights, further plaguing a summer of travel chaos.
The Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) pilots’ union has agreed on the foundations of a comprehensive monetary and structural package of issues that is to be specified in the next few days.
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It gave no further details but said it was sufficient to call off a strike that was due to start on Wednesday.
“We are pleased that a result was reached at the negotiating table and that further disruption for customers, employees and the company could be avoided,” said Marcel Groels, responsible for collective bargaining at the union.
Planes of German airline Lufthansa are photographed on the day of the airline’s annual general meeting at Frankfurt Airport, Germany, May 4, 2021. Portal/Kai Pfaffenbach/File Photo
“Today, important first steps towards a long-term cooperation were taken,” he said.
According to the union, which brings together more than 5,000 pilots, passenger plane pilots should go on strike Wednesday and Thursday and cargo pilots Wednesday through Friday.
Lufthansa, which earlier announced it would make an improved offer on Tuesday, said the agreement means flights could operate as planned over the next few days.
“We are pleased that we were able to reach a solution in constructive discussions with the Vereinigung Cockpit pilots’ union,” the national airline said in a statement, without giving details of the deal.
VC had called for a retrospective 5.5% pay rise from July 1, as well as an 8.2% pay rise in 2023, in response to inflation.
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Reporting by Tom Sims, Ilona Wissenbach; Writing by Miranday Murray and Madeline Chambers Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Louise Heavens and Susan Fenton
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