After weeks of wage dispute and subsequent strikes causing disruptions for passengers, German airline Lufthansa has reached a consensus with union Verdi regarding pay raises for its 25,000 ground staff.
Michael Niggemann, human resources director, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, expressed satisfaction with the agreement, stating, “We have an agreement, and I am very pleased about that,” during a press briefing in Frankfurt.
Details of the agreement remain undisclosed, but Niggemann indicated that a ‘good compromise’ had been reached, offering ‘substantial salary increases over the term’ to employees. However, specifics regarding the salary increments were not provided.
Verdi, representing the ground staff, had initially demanded a 12.5 per cent pay increase over twelve months, alongside an inflation compensation bonus of 3,000 euros. In response, Lufthansa proposed a pay hike of around 10 per cent over 28 months, coupled with an inflation bonus.
Marvin Reschinsky, the Verdi negotiator, expressed the union’s satisfaction with the outcome of the arbitration process. Further discussions with Lufthansa are scheduled for Thursday, aiming to finalise the agreement and facilitate employee voting by day’s end.
