Germany: Lufthansa executive board bonuses are controversial
German airline Lufthansa has benefited from massive state support during the pandemic when its future was threatened.
AFP
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German airline Lufthansa has benefited from massive state support during the pandemic when its future was threatened.
Information about the possible payment of management bonuses for this period is causing controversy.
The German government itself believes that such a measure would contradict the framework set for public aid to Lufthansa.
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With our correspondent in Berlin,
Pascal Thibaut
"
There will be some interesting legal issues to clarify
."
The government spokesman made no secret of his criticism of the bonus payment to the Lufthansa management board for the years 2021 and 2022 when the airline, in serious difficulty after
the Covid-19 pandemic
, benefited from massive
support from the state
.
For the spokesperson, such a practice would be a “
violation of the agreement
” between Berlin and the air carrier.
Lufthansa had received 9 billion euros from the state.
Aid reimbursed today.
Berlin had also become a shareholder of the company before reselling, with a profit, its participation in the capital of the company.
The decision of the Lufthansa supervisory board provides for the payment of bonuses to the executive board no earlier than 2025, but the years 2021 and 2022 will be taken into account retroactively.
1.6 million euros in annual salary
The company argues by pointing out that the remuneration of the CEO had fallen by 70% in 2021, i.e. more in percentage than for employees.
The latter point out that they earn much less than the fixed annual salary of 1.6 million of the president of Lufthansa, Carsten Spohr, who had received nearly 5 million euros in 2019.
The unions also point out that if the company has recovered and is once again profitable, the management is not the only one to have contributed to it and that compensation is not provided for employees who have had to face a period difficult.
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To read also: Air: the discontent of ground staff wins Germany
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