Following the agreement in the collective bargaining dispute, details of the new contract have now become known. The ground staff receive up to 18 percent more money as well as inflation compensation. Both sides were satisfied.
Lufthansa and the ver.di union reached an agreement in the collective bargaining dispute yesterday after a total of five warning strikes. Details of the new collective bargaining agreement have now become known: The company’s ground staff will receive up to 18 percent more pay. The approximately 25,000 employees will receive seven percent more money retroactively to January 1, 2024, but at least 280 euros more.
In addition, an inflation compensation bonus of 3,000 euros and other allowances, such as higher holiday pay, were agreed. The term of the collective agreement is 24 months.
After Lufthansa and ver.di, the responsible ver.di tariff commission also agreed to the compromise. It recommended that its members accept the agreement. They can now decide whether to accept or reject the results in a survey that will run until mid-April.
Lufthansa: “Great economic Challenge”
“We fought hard for this compromise and we can now be very satisfied,” said ver.di negotiator Marvin Reschinsky. “This result is historic.” This is how eastern collective agreements are brought into line with western standards. The agreement averted further strikes among ground staff.
Lufthansa’s human resources director Michael Niggemann also spoke of a good compromise, which at the same time represented a “major economic challenge”. Accordingly, salaries increase disproportionately in lower and middle salary groups – the average salary increase is around 12.5 percent.
As mediators, Thuringian Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow for the union and the former head of the Federal Employment Agency, Frank-Jürgen Weise, for the airline helped to find a solution to the recently deadlocked collective bargaining dispute. Ramelow was satisfied with the agreement reached: “The agreement is a great success for the Lufthansa employees – and also for the passengers, who now have planning security again and do not have to fear strikes.”
Strikes brought flight operations to a standstill several times
The employees had stopped work several times in recent weeks to put the company under pressure. Many Lufthansa flights were canceled, meaning around 100,000 travelers had to change their plans each time.
Lufthansa recently offered around a ten percent tariff increase for 28-month terms in addition to an inflation bonus. Ver.di demanded 12.5 percent more money, but at least 500 euros, with a term of twelve months.