The German transport sector is increasingly being hit by strikes across all modes. This week, both trains and planes will be virtually paralysed for a few days as conductors and cabin crew around the country are walking out.
1. Planes
The Independent Flight Attendants Organisation (UFO) has announced a cabin crew strike on Tuesday and Wednesday. About 100,000 Lufthansa passengers are expected to be impacted by the walk-out, with Frankfurt Airport being targeted on Tuesday and Munich Airport on Wednesday.
UFO has been asking for a 15% raise and a one-time €3,000 inflation compensation payment for its 18,000 members working for Lufthansa and additional 1,000 members working for Cityline, the group’s newest airline.
When announcing record profits last week, Lufthansa’s CFO said strikes this year have already cost the airline €100 million. At the same time the group was announcing its financial achievements, Lufthansa was only able to operate about 10% to 20% of its flights on 7 and 8 March, as the Verdi union strategically called for a ground staff strike at that time. It also coincided with a German security staff walk-out that completely closed Frankfurt Airport.
2. Trains
Freight train conductors walked out yesterday, while Deutsche Bahn’s passenger conductors started their action at 2 am today. The GDL union, representing train drivers, has been denouncing long working hours and is organising regular strikes until workers’ demands are met.
Following a 1.5-day strike last week, the union is still asking for employees’ working weeks to be reduced from 38 to 35 hours while maintaining the same salary. An offer has been made to gradually reduce the week to 36 hours by 2028, but the union does not seem willing to compromise on its demands.
German transport minister, Volker Wissing, has condemned GDL’s course of action. “Striking instead of negotiating is irresponsible”, Wissing told Bild newspaper, urging the union to return to negotiations.
