Lufthansa ground staff: Arbitrators are looking for a solution to the wage dispute before Easter

Highlights: Lufthansa and Ver.di have agreed to arbitration over better wages for ground staff. The arbitration should begin on Monday and end on Maundy Thursday at the latest. If successful, strikes at the airline at Easter could be avoided. If not, there is a risk of an indefinite strike by the airline's ground staff, a so-called forced strike. Theoretically, a strike would be possible from Good Friday. This could take place without interruption, "but also every now and then for several weeks"

In the poker game over better wages for ground staff, Lufthansa and Ver.di have agreed to arbitration. There isn't much time left if strikes at Easter are to be avoided.

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Lufthansa employees on strike: tight time frame

Photo: Lando Hass/dpa

After five fruitless rounds of negotiations and several waves of warning strikes, mediators are expected to help resolve the wage dispute involving Lufthansa ground staff from Monday. The hope: If successful, strikes at the airline at Easter could be avoided.

What is arbitration?

In order to resolve a deadlocked collective bargaining dispute, the parties to the conflict can agree to mediation. One or more arbitrators are appointed. The task of the generally independent people, for example from politics, is to work out a compromise that is acceptable to everyone involved. Both parties must then agree to this. There is a duty of peace during the mediation. This means that there must be no strikes or other industrial action.

How long is the arbitration scheduled?

The time frame is relatively short at up to four days. The arbitration should begin on Monday and end on Maundy Thursday at the latest. The Ver.di union had emphasized that it would not take part in any arbitration that would take several weeks or months.

Who are the arbitrators?

Both sides have each appointed their own arbitrator with experience in resolving collective bargaining disputes. Lufthansa named the former head of the Federal Employment Agency, Frank-Jürgen Weise. The union relies on Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow. The left-wing politician and former trade unionist Ramelow led the collective bargaining disputes with the train drivers' union GDL to an agreement at the railway in 2015 and 2017. Weise was involved in resolving the conflict between Lufthansa and the UFO cabin union in 2019/2020.

What are the chances of success?

In principle, this path can be seen as a sign of rapprochement and as a mutual expression of the will to reach a solution together. “Together we now want to clarify the outstanding points through mediation in order to then reach an agreement,” said Lufthansa Human Resources Director Michael Niggemann after the fifth round of negotiations. Ver.di negotiator Marvin Reschinsky emphasized at the time: "We want passengers to get from A to B easily during the Easter holidays and for families to go on their well-deserved vacation."

What happens if you fail?

There is then a risk of an indefinite strike by the airline's ground staff, a so-called forced strike. Ver.di has initiated the ballot, which should be completed by Maundy Thursday. Theoretically, a strike would be possible from Good Friday. This could take place without interruption, "but also every now and then for several weeks," as Ver.di negotiator Reschinsky explained: "This makes Lufthansa an unsafe means of transport."

What is the conflict about?

Ver.di charges 12.5 percent more money for a term of one year for the approximately 25,000 Lufthansa employees on the ground. The company offered 10 percent for a term of 28 months. An inflation compensation bonus of 3,000 euros is comparatively undisputed.

mik/dpa AFX