A highly disruptive two-day strike by flight attendants at German flag carrier Lufthansa last Tuesday and Wednesday has forced the embattled airline back to the bargaining table, the union which represents most cabin crew at the airline said on Monday.
Lufthansa has faced a wave of strike action from various workgroups over the last few weeks as German unions across different industries demand bumper pay rises to keep up with a cost of living crisis sweeping Europe.
The airline has also faced a wave of strikes by ground workers, but even more pressure was heaped on Lufthansa bosses after the Independent Flight Attendant Organisation (UFO) announced it would call on its members to take part in a two-day walkout after pay talks stalled.
Last Tuesday, flight attendants at Frankfurt Am Main staged a one-day strike, followed by their colleagues based in Munich on Wednesday.
On Friday, Lufthansa called senior union leaders in for “an exploratory meeting” in an attempt to break the deadlock. Friday’s meeting lasted a few hours and more negotiations will take place this week as both sides try to hammer out a deal.
“We expect Lufthansa to treat us with the necessary seriousness to prevent further industrial action,” the UFO told its members on Monday.
The union has demanded an immediate pay increase of 15%, whereas Lufthansa has, until now, only be willing to offer a 9.25% rise, which wouldn’t take full effect until August 2025.
Enough of this ‘one day’ strike garbage. Go on strike and get locked out until a deal is reached. The union will fold like a cheap suit once they all miss a paycheck or two.