The ongoing bitter dispute between Lufthansa’s 19,000-strong UFO cabin crew union is continuing with members threatening to hold a long-term series of one-day strikes between July 1 and September 16.

 

The airline has already lost millions of euros to more than ten lightning strikes by its pilots union over the last year, with pilots continuing to protest over pay and retirement benefits. Not surprisingly, these strikes have had a serious impact on airport commercial revenues.

 

[However, the pilots have now agreed to a mediation process and promised not to strike again while this process continues – at least until to the end of July-Ed].

 

In a statement, the Unabhängige Flugbegleiter Organisation (UFO) said: “Due to the failed mediation, the UFO calls the cabin of Lufthansa from 01.07.2015 to industrial action. We will actually perform a long-term strike, which will be well-calculated for our customers.”

 

The union says the strikes will commence on July 1 ‘with a classic time-limited strikes’, including protest rallies and manifestations: “We will announce exact times and locations the day of the strike itself,” it added.

 

 

MAXIMUM DISRUPTION STRATEGY

“On this first day of the strike we will announce all other strike days afterwards for the following weeks. However, we will only announce on the respective days of strike, which routes, stations, fleets, functions or other sections [where] we are on strike.”

 

In a veiled threat, the union added: “The frequency and any necessary expansion of these strikes will depend on the readiness of restarting talks by our Executive Board of Lufthansa. If further escalating scenarios are created by Lufthansa, we will possibly have to carry out unannounced, additional strikes, too.”

 

 

The union says it has set a deadline for 30 June 2015 at 09.00 to avert the planned strike and claims it is prepared to cancel all strike action ‘immediately’ if the following conditions are met:

 

1. Lufthansa accepts permanently UFO’s claim that the company’s pension scheme contracts for cabins staff are effective furthermore until new contracts are valid.

 

2. Lufthansa accepts the paper of both mediators (dated 28/05/2015) as a common basis for further negotiations concerning company pension and the transition pension scheme.

 

3. Lufthansa provides a negotiable offer on this basis, optionally with the inclusion of other important issues for the cabin from the topic of the agenda.