Germany’s powerful Verdi union on Monday called on Lufthansa ground staff to stage a fresh two-day strike this week, the latest in a series of walkouts to hit Europe’s largest economy.
The strike would impact passenger services from 0300 GMT on Thursday until 0610 GMT on Saturday, the union said, accusing management at the airline group of showing “no willingness” to come up with an improved salary offer.
The call comes less than a week after the last strike, when ground staff at Lufthansa’s technical support and aviation training units downed tools. That walkout however did not affect passenger travel.
Verdi’s chief negotiator Marvin Reschinsky said it was “regrettable” that passengers would again see their travel plans disrupted.
“By ignoring our request to negotiate, Lufthansa is telling us that it will only move when the pressure increases further,” he said.
Verdi is seeking pay rises of 12.5 percent for the workers it represents, or a minimum of 500 euros ($542) more a month.
Lufthansa has offered pay increases over an extended period but not enough to meet Verdi’s demands, the union has said.
The next round of negotiations will take place on March 13 and 14.
A one-day strike by Lufthansa ground staff in Germany last month affected some 100,000 passengers, with between 80 and 90 percent of the airline’s commercial flights grounded.
Germany has been hit by a spate of strikes across varying sectors, including transport, the civil service and supermarkets.
Pinched by inflation over the last years and in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, workers are demanding higher wages to cope with shrinking purchasing power.
The GDL train drivers union is due to hold a press conference later on Monday to give an update on its talks with rail operator Deutsche Bahn, with another strike call considered likely.
The union staged a multi-day stoppage in January, the longest in its history, to push its demands for higher pay and a shorter work week.
