In Germany, Lufthansa’s cabin crew union UFO has suspended its planned series of lightning strikes from 1 July after confirming that dispute resolution talks between it and the airline have made some progress.

 

 

Simultaneously in Spain, air traffic controllers have announced a four-day strike later this month in protest at ‘penalties’ imposed on controllers who walked out in a series of actions back in 2010.

 

 

As reported earlier, the Lufthansa UFO union (Unabhängige Flugbegleiter Organisation) had called for lightning strikes from July, plus protest rallies and other measures, but the deadline for progress in talks – mostly related to pensions – was tentatively met yesterday, despite the union still talking tough.

 

 

It released an interim statement yesterday saying that Lufthansa management has so far ‘come to meet us in all important points’, and as such, the union believes that the strike suspension is ‘correct’ for the time being.

 

 

 

 

 

TEMPORARY TRUCE…

It warned: “The already troubled relationship of trust has become more even weakened in the last few days. This needs to be built in the coming negotiations only again to allow a workable collective peace.”

 

 

The statement added that a new workshop has now been proposed to try and address and resolve the disputed issues and the union has agreed to participate.

 

 

UFO’s statement added: “Only after this workshop (in the first half of July) we can decide whether the strikes are finally off the table, or whether we still have yet to enter into a labour dispute despite today’s commitments.” (For the full background to this dispute, click here: http://www.trbusiness.com/regional-news/international/lufthansa-cabin-crew-union-threatens-action/77465).

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Spanish air traffic controllers have given notice that they will strike in peak season next month for three hours on every day between July 11, 12, 25 and 26 in protest at penalties imposed on 61 air traffic controllers during a strike at Barcelona Airport. (For full background, click here: http://www.trbusiness.com/regional-news/international/spanish-atc-call-4-day-strike-in-peak-holiday-season/76611).