A two-day ground crew and security personnel strike at Munich Airport, Germany’s second-largest airport, started on Thursday and resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of flights.
Only 100 of the 830 planned takeoffs and landings were expected to go ahead, according to an airport representative. The Verdi union-organized strike will run until midnight on Friday as workers demand increased wages and better working conditions.
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Verdi is calling for a salary hike of eight percent or at least an increase of 350 euros on a monthly basis, as well as extra bonuses for high-level stress jobs and extra paid vacations. The union pointed out that ground and security personnel are significant to the assurance of safety and efficiency in flights, working against difficult conditions twelve months a year.
“The mounting workload and chronic staff shortages have been a heavy burden on staff,” Verdi explained, which is why there is a reason for better pay.
The timing of the strike has caused inconvenience to travel plans prior to Bavaria’s carnival season, a high season for tourism. A different strike at Hamburg Airport, which started Thursday evening, has also impacted operations. Hamburg Airport, however, has been able to keep flight schedules normal, except for flights to Munich, an airport spokeswoman said.
Earlier this week, other labor walkouts affected Cologne/Bonn and Dusseldorf airports. The second round of talks between Verdi and airport authorities is planned for March 14, with the expectation of finding a solution.
As the aviation industry continues to be affected by labor conflicts, flight disruptions are going to keep happening unless settlements are established to resolve concerns about wages and working conditions among employees.
