BERLIN – Security workers and ground services are holding a one-day strike on Monday, leaving passengers at two major German airports with no option than to defer their plans.
The Berlin and Hamburg airports are facing disruptions as the workers are observing strike over pay issue. The severity of the strike could be gauged form the fact that Berlin-Brandenburg airport said all departures were cancelled and some landings would also be affected; the airport serves the capital.
The Verdi union had called security workers out on strike until midnight (2200 GMT) and an airport spokesperson highlighted that around 240 flights had been scheduled to take off.
On the other hand, employees from the private Aviation Handling Services Hamburg (AHS), who manage check-in, boarding and lost and found for a number of airlines including the famous Lufthansa at Hamburg airport, also announced a 24-hour strike at short notice.
Neither arrivals nor flights serviced by other companies were expected to be affected, the airport stated.
Germany’s Berlin-Brandenburg airport has warned that all flights due to depart Monday have been canceled after the country’s powerful Verdi union called an almost daylong strike.
The union, while surprising with the Monday strike, also threatened to continue the protest and possibly disrupt future flight operations as well.
“We once again urge the association of flight safety employers BDLS to present a negotiable offer on April 27 and 28 and not to continue playing for time, otherwise there is a threat of further strikes in air transport in May and at Pentecost,” Wolfgang Pieper of the Verdi trade union said in a statement.
Airport strikes particularly in Germany have been a constant worry for the authorities as they have been frequent in recent days. The Monday strike comes merely four days after airports in Dusseldorf, Hamburg and Cologne/Bonn were paralyzed leading to the cancellation of some 700 flights.
Not only aviation industry but the transportation network in Germany has been crippled as rail workers went on strike on Friday over pay-raise demand. The rail strike was announced by the EVG union, which represents railway workers.
Germany’s national rail company, Deutsche Bahn, stated that all its long-distance connections and most commuter trains would be canceled until 1 p.m. The workers’ union is representing 230,000 workers and is expecting a 12% wage increase contrary to Deutsche Bahn which has put forth a pay increase of 5%, as well as one-off payments of up to €2,500.
