GERMANY: Lufthansa pilots march together as part of three-day strike

Record ID: 341557

  • Title: GERMANY: Lufthansa pilots march together as part of three-day strike
  • Date: 2nd April 2014
  • Summary: FRANKFURT, GERMANY (APRIL 2, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF STRIKING LUFTHANSA PILOTS TAKING PART IN DEMONSTRATION MARCH PILOTS STANDING IN A GROUP BANNERS VARIOUS OF PILOTS MARCHING TOWARDS LUFTHANSA BUILDING LUFTHANSA LOGO PILOTS MARCHING VARIOUS OF PILOTS TALKING TO GROUP THROUGH MICROPHONE VARIOUS OF PILOTS APPLAUDING VARIOUS OF PILOTS TALKING THROUGH MICROPHONE BADGE ON U
  • Embargoed: 17th April 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA2OJMDGXJX54ZDO2MM8OQM561F
  • Story Text: Lufthansa pilots demonstrated in Frankfurt on Wednesday (April 2) on the first of a three-day walkout in a dispute over early retirement, effectively grounding Germany's largest airline in one of the biggest strikes ever to hit the company.
    Lufthansa has cancelled 3,800 flights during the strike, which runs until the end of Friday (April 4), and says the stoppage will cost it tens of millions of euros.
    It is the third strike to hit Frankfurt airport, Europe's third-largest by passengers, in six weeks after industrial action by security staff and public sector workers.
    The pilots want Lufthansa to reinstate a scheme that enabled them to receive 60 percent of their pay when they left their jobs before the legal retirement age.
    Lufthansa pilots used to be forced to retire at 60, leaving them with a five-year gap before legal retirement provisions kicked in at 65.
    However, the retirement age for pilots was raised to 65 in Europe in 2011 and so Lufthansa says the scheme is no longer needed.
    "We want to create some momentum to get Lufthansa moving and start negotiating with us to put forward a reasonable offer of a transitional retirement plan," the chairman of the union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC), Ilja Schultz told Reuters TV at the demonstration in Frankfurt.
    "It is an essential part of our retirement plan. Pilots have to have the option to finish working early. Not every pilot is fit enough to continue with this job until they are 65 and so they must be given the opportunity to leave the job with an appropriate plan. That is why it is so important for us and such an emotional issue," he added, saying that the atmosphere among the workforce was one of determination.
    VC represents most of Lufthansa's 5,400 pilots.
    Lufthansa says it is able to run around 500 flights over the three days, just over ten percent of its regular service.
    Analysts estimate the strike could cost the airline as much as 50 million euros in lost profit. Lufthansa made a 313 million euro net profit last year.
    While the pilots union has promised not to strike over the Easter holidays, which start on April 14 across most of Germany and run until the end of the month, they have not ruled out further action.
    German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt called on Lufthansa and the union to seek a quick resolution.
    The strike also affects Lufthansa's cargo arm and its low-cost carrier Germanwings.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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