Lufthansa agrees on pay with ground personnel – Verdi union

The airline will increase wages by 2.2% on 1 January, 2016 and offer another 2.2% increase one year later to its ground personnel, employees of its IT subsidiary Lufthansa Systems, Lufthansa Service catering workers, staff at Lufthansa Technik maintenance and workers at Lufthansa Cargo freight service.

The airline and union also announced an agreement that will ensure all 33,000 employees will receive their employer-funded pension plans. They’ll also receive a 2.2 percent pay increase for the next two years. “The 33-month term from 1st April 2015 up until 31st December 2017 will create planning security and harmony between the bargaining parties”, said Dr Bettina Volkens, member of the executive board and corporate chief HR officer.

BBC news adds that Lufthansa, Europe’s biggest airline, has been mired in a pay and pension dispute with its workers as the airline is looking to cut costs.

The agreement comes as Lufthansa continues negotiations with the UFO cabin-crew union that’s led to strikes and more threatened work stoppages.

Ground staff at several key airports in Germany had answered a Verdi half-day strike call in late March, causing hours of delays.

The Cologne-headquartered company witnessed an industrial action for seven days earlier this month, the longest strike in its history.

Lufthansa has invited all major unions representing its staff to a summit to discuss labor issues on Dec 2.