- Title: Lufthansa cabin crew union stages all-day strike at smaller airlines
- Date: 20th October 2019
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (OCTOBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF BERLIN TEGEL AIRPORT PEOPLE QUEUING INSIDE TERMINAL VARIOUS OF MONITOR DISPLAY SHOWING CANCELLED FLIGHT VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING (SOUNDBITE) (German) EUROWINGS PASSENGER, DENNIS VADLJA, SAYING: "It has affected me a lot. We are from Croatia, we were in Berlin for a little trip and we have been here for four hours at the airport. And we are still here." PEOPLE QUEUING (SOUNDBITE) (German) UNIDENTIFIED EUROWINGS PASSENGER, SAYING: "No, it is not funny at all. It is not fun to fly anymore. You want to go on holiday, you look forward to it, you book in advance so that you have time for a little drink before travelling. And what is happening here, I think it is impossible." WOMAN QUEUING PASSENGERS QUEUING DOG LYING DOWN ON GROUND DUESSELDORF, GERMANY (OCTOBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) PEOPLE LOOKING AT DEPARTURE MONITOR DISPLAY AT DUESSELDORF AIRPORT DISPLAY SHOWING CANCELLED FLIGHT TO FRANKFURT DISPLAY SHOWING FLIGHTS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING FRANKFURT, GERMANY (OCTOBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) PEOPLE WALKING INSIDE FRANKFURT AIRPORT VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT CHECK-IN DESKS (SOUNDBITE) (German) LUFTHANSA SPOKESPERSON, MARTIN LEUTKE, SAYING: "We consider the strike unlawful because the UFO's status as a negotiator on behalf of staff is unclear, as we have clearly stated in recent days. But today, first and foremost, it's about being there for the passengers, where the passengers are going and where they want to go." WOMAN LOOKING AT PAPER (SOUNDBITE) (German) UFO DEPUTY CHAIRMAN, DANIEL FLOHR, SAYING: "From us: positive balance. In Berlin, the air traffic is large, in Duesseldorf, there are probably very hectic scenes at the airport. Even here in Frankfurt, where the effect was lower, the aircraft has been stopped and flights cancelled." PEOPLE AT AIRPORT VARIOUS OF LUFTHANSA PLANES TAXIING ON TARMAC LUFTHANSA LOGO LUFTHANSA PLANES ON TARMAC
- Embargoed: 3rd November 2019 10:12
- Keywords: Lufthansa cabin crew union strike airlines UFO protest salary
- Location: DUESSELDORF, BERLIN AND FRANKFURT, GERMANY
- City: DUESSELDORF, BERLIN AND FRANKFURT, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA001B1WICLJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: German flight attendants' union UFO on Sunday (October 20) said it would stage an all-day strike at smaller German divisions of airline group Lufthansa in an escalating row over workers' pay and pensions.
The walkout at Lufthansa brands Germanwings, Eurowings, Lufthansa City Line and Sunexpress had initially been scheduled for 0300-0900 GMT, but the union in a statement on Sunday said industrial action would now be extended until midnight local time (2200 GMT), citing threats made by the airline over jobs as reason.
A Lufthansa spokesman said the strike was illegal because UFO's status as a negotiator on behalf of staff was in doubt.
Lufthansa on Friday (October 18) had offered a 2% pay rise to cabin staff, prompting the union to call off a planned strike at Lufthansa's namesake core brand at hubs Frankfurt and Munich.
But the dispute deteriorated after UFO found the offer lacked concessions on expenses and employment conditions.
The cabin crew union has for months fought with the airline in court over UFO's legal status. Lufthansa claims the union's new leadership team that took office earlier this year was not elected in a way that met legal requirements.
(Production: Leon Malherbe, Tim Reichert, Elena Gyldenkerne) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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