Once again, travelers have to reschedule due to a labor dispute. In the collective bargaining dispute in the aviation security industry, the Verdi union has called for warning strikes at around a dozen airports on Thursday.
The airports affected are Frankfurt, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Stuttgart, Hanover, Hamburg, Bremen, Dresden, Leipzig/Halle and Erfurt. The airport association ADV expects around 1,100 flight cancellations or delays. This would affect around 200,000 passengers. Passengers should prepare for this now.
Where are there no strikes? The important Munich hub will not be on strike. At Nuremberg Airport, security staff are also operating without restrictions.
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What applies on Friday?
A warning strike in local public transport continues on Friday. Ver.di has called on employees in local public transport in almost all federal states to do so. In many regions, passengers have to prepare for extensive restrictions on bus, road and subway traffic. According to Ver.di, more than 130 municipal companies in around 80 cities and around 40 districts are affected by the parallel collective bargaining in public transport with a total of 90,000 employees.
Where are there no strikes? Bavaria is excluded as there are currently no negotiations there. In Berlin, the strike should also be limited to the morning.
Are all flights canceled on Thursday?
The restrictions vary greatly. Some airports had announced that there would be no departures. This is the case, for example, in Berlin as well as in Hamburg, Hanover and Stuttgart.
Local passengers can no longer board at Frankfurt Airport. Passengers should not come to the airport and contact their airlines for other travel options. At least intercontinental and European flights can be carried out. This is important for connecting passengers.
The contact person with information about your own flight, rebooking options and alternatives is usually the respective airline. The airports themselves often provide information about flight status for takeoffs and landings on their websites. In the event of a flight cancellation due to a strike or a delay of more than three hours, the airline must offer travelers another transport option to their destination – for example by rebooking them on another flight. This often happens automatically. Alternatively, the airline offers the option of converting the ticket for domestic flights into a train ticket.
How do I get to work on Friday?
Different. In Munich and Nuremberg, the subway, bus and tram run non-stop. In Nuremberg too. In Berlin the strike only applies on Friday mornings. Employees should inform themselves in good time about the start and end of the strike.
Train traffic is also exempt from the strike. S-Bahn, regional and long-distance trains should run as scheduled, if announced. In order to dampen the expected rush on the streets, commuters should, if possible, postpone appointments or work from home, said an ADAC spokeswoman. If you rely on a car, you should check the traffic situation to avoid traffic jams. Alternatives include switching to bicycles or organizing small groups of commuters who can use a car together, said the spokeswoman.
When do the warning strikes start?
Thursday: At most locations, the strike began when operations began early Thursday morning. In Cologne/Bonn it started on Wednesday evening, as there is no ban on night flights there. The end may vary depending on the airport as it depends on the end and start of the shift, a Verdi spokesman said. At one location the walkout may be over by late Thursday evening, while at another it may continue until midnight. The union said the aim is for air traffic to resume as usual on Friday.
Friday: Different regulations. The warning strikes in public transport begin at different times. In principle, employees and passengers must expect restrictions from 3 a.m. on Friday. The warning strike will last 24 hours. In Berlin the strike begins at 3 a.m. and ends at 10 a.m. There are no strikes in Munich and Nuremberg.
Why did Verdi… Warning strike called?
Thursday: The background to the industrial dispute is the collective bargaining round for the aviation security industry. Verdi is conducting negotiations for around 25,000 employees who check passengers, luggage and staff at the airports. Without them, the operation of the security areas is not possible.
Verdi is calling for a flat rate increase in hourly wages of 2.80 euros for a contract term of one year and faster surcharges. Aviation security assistants in the lowest salary group currently earn 20.60 euros per hour, which, based on 160 hours of work per month, results in a gross salary of just under 3,300 euros. There are also surcharges for night work, Sunday work and public holiday work as well as overtime. The last time there were warning strikes by aviation security was in March of last year. At that time it was about the working conditions of the employees, who had achieved significant wage increases in recent years.
The employers of the Federal Association of Aviation Security Companies (BDLS) said they had offered four percent more money for this year and three percent for next year. Two further rounds of negotiations have already been agreed for February 6th and 7th and February 21st and 22nd.
Friday: Despite the nationwide negotiations, the goals and demands of the unions in local public transport differ – depending on what type of collective agreement is being fought for in the respective federal state. A new collective agreement is being negotiated in Hamburg and at the Hamburg-Holstein transport company (VHH). In 14 other countries it is about collective agreements, which primarily regulate working conditions. Verdi demands shorter working hours without financial losses, longer rest periods between individual shifts, more vacation days or more vacation pay.