News / Lufthansa new offer to end strikes is 'historic', says happy union chief

After some four months of intermittent strike action, and five rounds of negotiations, Lufthansa Cargo has offered a new benefit agreement for its ground staff – but could will be a “major economic challenge” for the carrier. 

The Loadstar reported last month that German trade union ver.di had been lobbying for ground handling staff at Lufthansa Cargo to receive a minimum 12.5% increase in their basic salary, among other conditions.  

The union has called several strikes at Lufthansa Cargo since January, leading to embargos, delays and cancellations across the German carrier’s cargo network. 

Dennis Dacke, head of aircrew alliance at ver.di, had vowed the action would continue until Lufthansa presented an attractive offer to its staff, leaving Lufthansa with little room to budge.  

“We are prepared to continue our strike action. Our strike strategy is working,” he told The Loadstar. 

Lufthansa has now offered 20,000 employees a salary increase of up to 12.5% over two years. Their holiday allowance will also be increased and the guarantee of employment after completion of training will be extended until January 2029.  

But former head of the Federal Employment Agency, Dr Frank-Jürgen Weise, noted that while this was good for the employees, it would be “a major economic challenge in an international environment in which many nations heavily subsidise their critical infrastructure”. 

He added: “The negotiations between Lufthansa and Ver.di were difficult in terms of the variety of issues, the different levels of services demanded and offered, but also factually sound and humanly respectful. The arbitrators felt that they were acting in the interests of the employees, the welfare of the company, and the customers.”

Ver.di negotiator Marvin Reschinsky said: “We fought hard for this compromise, and we can now be very satisfied. We have achieved real wage increases and will thus compensate for the decline of recent years. This result is historic.” 

Last week, ver.di and Lufthansa conducted intensive negotiations together with arbitrators Bodo Ramelow, prime minister of the state of Thuringia, and Dr Weise. 

Ver.di is conducting a member survey to establish whether to accept or reject the offer. It will run until mid-April. 

If accepted, the new agreement will last for two years.