Lufthansa on strike

[rigpiggy]

Lufthansa pilots' strike grounds thousands of flights
Lufthansa pilots take part in a strike at Frankfurt am Main airport, 22 February 2010

Thousands of flights have been cancelled at Germany's main airports on the first day of a four-day strike by Lufthansa pilots.

Attempts at last-minute negotiations between the pilots' union and Lufthansa management, mediated by the government, failed at the weekend.

The dispute centres on the transfer of jobs to foreign subsidiaries of Lufthansa to cut costs.

The head of media relations at Lufthansa is Andreas Bartels.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/news/ ... t_sl.shtml

(CNN) -- Pilots at Lufthansa, one of of the world's largest airlines, went on strike Monday, grounding hundreds of flights per day, a spokeswoman for the airline told CNN.

The four-day walkout by Vereinigung Cockpit, the pilots' union, came after a last-ditch effort at negotiations over pay and job security failed, the company said.

The strike threatened to disrupt travel on more than two dozen partner airlines, including United, U.S Airways and Continental, later on Monday. About 800 of 1,800 scheduled flights per day through Thursday have been canceled, the company said.

But Lufthansa is going to court to try to force the pilots back to work, a top official at the airline said.

A labor court in Frankfurt, Germany's main airline hub, will hear arguments over the strike starting at 5:30 p.m. local time (11:30 a.m. ET) and is expected to rule by the end of the day, a court representative told CNN.

Lufthansa wants the strike declared illegal on the grounds that it is disproportionate, affecting passengers and 100,000 employees, Klaus Walther, the airline's senior vice president and head of corporate communications said Monday.

More than 4,000 members of Vereinigung Cockpit walked off the job at midnight Monday (6 p.m. Sunday ET) through Thursday over protracted contract negotiations centering around pay and job security.

"Vereinigung Cockpit attempted two times (over the weekend) to get the Lufthansa management to continue negotiations but in the end it showed clearly that Lufthansa is not interested and looks for the confrontation," said Jorg Handwerg, a pilot and representative for the union. "Now they've got it."

The industrial action is the largest in German aviation history, Lufthansa claimed.

"In the eyes of our customers, it looks dramatic. It's the worst strike in the history of German air travel," said Walther, the Lufthansa spokesman. "We are trying behind the scenes with all our available employees to soften the consequences for our customers."

The action by Lufthansa pilots signaled growing labor unrest across Europe. The industrial action by the pilots started the same day that British Airways cabin staff were expected to announce the outcome of that union's strike vote. On Wednesday in Greece, a mass public and private sector strike is being planned to protest the government's austerity plan.

In anticipation of the strike, Lufthansa planned to cancel two-thirds of its scheduled flights involving wide-bodied aircraft from Monday to Thursday. The airline was hoping to meet 50-60 percent of its daily schedule.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/02/22/ ... ernational

[yycflyguy]

In anticipation of the strike, Lufthansa planned to cancel two-thirds of its scheduled flights involving wide-bodied aircraft from Monday to Thursday. The airline was hoping to meet 50-60 percent of its daily schedule.

How are they going to meet half of their schedule? There are not enough pilot managers to cover that much flying. ACPA was contacted and asked not to pick up any additional code share flying in support for Vereinigung Cockpit.

Lufthansa wants the strike declared illegal on the grounds that it is disproportionate, affecting passengers and 100,000 employees, Klaus Walther, the airline's senior vice president and head of corporate communications said Monday.

Kinda sounds like the foolish equal pay for equal work crap over here.

[Airbrake]

"High paid pilots"

Are they paid higher than any other pilots in Europe?

http://www.calgaryherald.com/mobile/iph ... story.html

[cyeg66]

Frankfurt controllers must be the best paid controllers in the world now. It must be as busy (or not busy, depending on your perspective) as YOW today.

[yycflyguy]

Frankfurt controllers must be the best paid controllers in the world now. It must be as busy (or not busy, depending on your perspective) as YOW today.

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=61618&hilit=spain

[Meatservo]

CBC news this morning reported the STARTING WAGE for pilots at Lufthansa is $165 000.

I'm gonna call bullshit on that. Probably some rhetoric propagated by management types. It's probably the "starting salary" for 747 Captains.

[yycflyguy]

I suspect you are correct. Just like stating that Air Canada pilots make $225k... tell that to the guys on flat pay.

I don't want to say how much I earn, because it will only turn into a jealousy debate. But a Lufthansa co-pilot's salary starts at 60,000 euros [£52,000], and I am now a captain. We earn good money, but we also have a huge responsibility.

FO top 135.000 EUR/year (needs long time), 115.000 EUR/year after 10 years 4/Feb/08
FO base 62.400 EUR/year

[Mig29]

At least these guys have the guts and the unity to mount a strike! In not so great economic times....it's called standing up for what you are worth....unlike many great N.American carriers, who tend to just suck it up and roll over.....

[yycflyguy]

I think by NA carriers, you mean AC.

Spirit Airlines pilots are close to a strike as well.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/ ... &type=blog

[Mig29]

well yes, AC is one of them, but there are many more... Predominantly in the US...