In Germany, a massive strike at airports leads to the cancellation of 3,400 flights

Employees of the main German airports are called to strike on Monday, March 10, with a total stop of the flights provided for in Berlin, in a context of tense negotiations on wages and working conditions of the branch.

According to the German Airport Federation ADV (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutscher Verkehrsflughäfen), 3,400 flights will be canceled, which will affect half a million travelers. “There will be massive restrictions on departures and arrivals, up to the cancellations of thefts”said on Friday, the Unified Ver.Di (Vereinte Dientetleistungsgewerkschaft) in a press release on Friday.

Berlin-Brandeburg airport announced on Friday to completely stop its activities on Monday due to the strike. In Frankfurt, the first German airport, the operating company Fraport warned that no passenger could board the transit platform, which will affect “Almost certainly” international flights, specifies the newspaper Bild. The platforms of Munich, Bremen, Cologne, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Leipzig and Stuttgart will also be affected.

5,000 employees of the airports concerned

About 5,000 employees of airports employed by the State and by local communities and 23,000 employees of stopover assistance service providers are affected by the strike, a spokesman for the union said on Friday.

Employees are called upon to stop work in full annual negotiations on wages and working conditions, while next cycle of negotiations is planned in mid-March. Employers “Have not yet made an offer within the framework of the current collective negotiations” and have not shown “No desire to respond to our requests” said Ver.Di, who notably claims an 8 % increase in wages and arduousness premiums.

A two -day strike had paralyzed traffic at Munich airport at the end of February. Several warning strikes have already taken place in town halls, federal authorities, hospitals and in public transport since the start of the year. Others will follow this week, for example in the waste collection services of several cities in the country.