FRANKFURT, March 25 – Arbitration talks between German airline Lufthansa and ground staff began on Monday, following repeated strikes in recent months that paralysed the country’s air transport, reported German news agency (dpa).
State Premier of Thuringia, Bodo Ramelow, and the former head of the Federal Labour Agency, Frank-Jürgen Weise, are to help resolve the conflict between the company and the Verdi trade union as mediators.
The parties began talks in the morning, Lufthansa confirmed. No strikes are permitted during the negotiations, which are due to end on Thursday at the latest.
Verdi is demanding 12.5 per cent more pay for Lufthansa ground staff for a 12-month term, while the company has so far offered 10 per cent for a 28-month term. An inflation compensation bonus of €3,000 (US$3,262) is not contested.
Recently, hundreds of Lufthansa flights were cancelled due to strikes organised by Verdi’s ground employee members.
If no compromise is found in the arbitration process, Verdi is threatening an indefinite strike. The ballot for this has already begun and is to be counted on Thursday.
