Lufthansa, ground staff begin arbitration talks in wage dispute

DPA
·1 min read
The Lufthansa logo can be seen on a barrier tape at check-in at the airport. Arbitration talks between German airline Lufthansa and ground staff began on Monday, following repeated strikes in recent months that paralyzed the country's air transport. Peter Kneffel/dpa
The Lufthansa logo can be seen on a barrier tape at check-in at the airport. Arbitration talks between German airline Lufthansa and ground staff began on Monday, following repeated strikes in recent months that paralyzed the country's air transport. Peter Kneffel/dpa

Arbitration talks between German airline Lufthansa and ground staff began on Monday, following repeated strikes in recent months that paralyzed the country's air transport.

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% more pay for Lufthansa ground staff for a 12-month term, while the company has so far offered 10% for a 28-month term. An inflation compensation bonus of €3,000 ($3,262) is not contested.

Recently, hundreds of Lufthansa flights were cancelled due to strikes organized 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.