Mediation: Further Lufthansa pilots' strikes averted for the time being
The potentially strike-prone pay dispute between Lufthansa and its pilots has taken a turn. Both sides have agreed to a complex mediation process.
The Lufthansa pilots' union, Vereinigung Cockpit (VC), has reached a comprehensive agreement with the airline to avoid further strikes, according to a report by Handelsblatt. The negotiations cover open tariff issues across Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa Cityline, and Eurowings. The agreement includes defined exit options for both parties and was accompanied by mediation.
Lufthansa confirmed the principle of the agreement but declined to provide specific details due to confidentiality. In the current year alone, VC pilots have called for seven strikes, including during the 100th anniversary of the Lufthansa company, which resulted in hundreds of flight cancellations. The total cost of the labor dispute is estimated at around 150 million euros.
The dispute is primarily about pension and wage issues, but it also reflects the management's strategy to shift aircraft and crews to other subsidiaries with lower tariff regulations, such as the recently closed Cityline and the rebranded Lufthansa City Airlines.
Brief written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's own syndicated text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
