Retirement Conditions Dispute at Lufthansa | Pilots and Cabin Crew to Hold One-Day Strike
Pilots and cabin crew at Germany-based Lufthansa have announced a one-day strike on Thursday due to a dispute over pension contributions and working conditions. The strike will take place between 00:00 and 23:59 and is expected to affect a large number of flights departing from airports across Germany.
The pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit is demanding that the company increase pension contribution payments for approximately 4,800 cockpit crew members. Management has rejected the request, citing cost pressures and low profitability. The strike will cover not only Lufthansa’s mainline operations but also Lufthansa Cargo flights. Pilots were granted strike authorization in a vote held in October, marking the first work stoppage in the ongoing dispute.
The Unabhängige Flugbegleiter Organisation, representing cabin crew, has also called on staff at both Lufthansa and its subsidiary Lufthansa CityLine to join the strike. The union stated that no progress has been made on key issues related to working conditions in collective bargaining talks. It also noted that negotiations over a social plan concerning the planned operational shutdown at Lufthansa CityLine have not taken place.
Lufthansa management described the short-notice strike decision as disproportionate and invited the unions back to the negotiating table. The company said that passengers affected by the strike would be informed accordingly.
