Luftfahrt: Ramelow, Koch und Heckelmann sollen bei Lufthansa schlichten

In Berlin, two former state premiers are set to mediate a labor dispute at Lufthansa, which sparked strong emotions among both management and pilots early in the spring. Bodo Ramelow, a member of the Left party and former Thuringian state premier, will represent the pilot union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) in the mediation process. Roland Koch, a former Hessian state premier from the CDU, has been appointed by the company's management.

The dispute is complex and extends beyond mere wage issues, touching on strategic decisions. The companies and the union agreed recently to a multi-part process to mend their strained relationship, which has been marred by conflict for years. The mediation process consists of a series of three distinct proceedings. One of them focuses on the amount the company contributes to the retirement benefits of the approximately 5,000 pilots at Lufthansa's flagship airline, Lufthansa Classic, and its cargo subsidiary, Lufthansa Cargo. The VC had previously called for work stoppages at the beginning of the year over this issue.