Lufthansa, new tug-of-war with pilots: new strike in the air
Lufthansa pilots voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike against the proposed pension reform [...]
Lufthansa
The pilots of Lufthansa voted overwhelmingly in favor of one strike against the reform of the pensions proposed by management. The union Vereinigung Cockpit announced that about the88% of members supported the hard line, after the failure of negotiations initiated on the September 12.
No date set, but tension grows
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At the moment, no dates have been given for possible work stoppages, but the threat is real. Lufthansa pilots last went on strike back in 2022 and, if confirmed, the new stop would be likely to have severe effects on the network.
Reactions and context
The news had an immediate impact on the markets: in Frankfurt, the stock Lufthansa closed the September 30 down by more than 7%, marking the steepest decline in recent months.
The company, meanwhile, continues to face other problems, as we had already written: delays in aircraft deliveries, geopolitical tensions curbing demand and theincrease in taxes and fees.
The union, which represents about 9,600 employees between Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo, disputes the cuts in pension plans. For its part, the company has threatened to transfer jobs to low-cost subsidiaries Discover e City Airlines.
Risk of new tensions
A vote in favor does not amount to an immediate strike, but it opens the way to new union actions. For Lufthansa, already reeling from years of disagreements with pilots, the risk is facing another season of costly and destabilizing strikes.
