Lufthansa cabin crew follow pilots’ actions with proposed strike at the end of June

Having already been plagued by over a dozen costly pilots’ strikes during the last twelve months, Lufthansa is now facing the threat of further strikes. The threat of strikes is connected to long-running demands over pension rights and pay, this time for cabin crew. The Independent Flight Attendants’ Organization (UFO in Germany), which represents over 19,000 Lufthansa cabin crew, has given the airline a deadline of 30th June to resolve the issue. If not, the intention is for the first strike to take place on 1st July with a series of further strikes to follow over the busy summer season up to and including September the 16th. Despite two arbiters being appointed back in February, Herta Däubler-Gmelin and Friedrich Merz, little progress if any has been made in the dispute, and mediation has now stalled. Lufthansa is fighting a battle on two fronts as they have to pursue every opportunity to reduce running costs to remain competitive against both low-cost airlines and competition from the Middle East while facing problems with both cabin crew and pilots who are trying to protect their pay levels and pension rights. However with mediation having failed, UFO are turning to direct action, making it clear that they will no longer continue talks with the airline. Head of UFO, Nicoley Baublies, told a news conference that “Everyone… will have the chance to opt for modes of transport other than Lufthansa on the days for which we are to announce strikes.” However Lufthansa have made it clear they are still ready to continue talks. “We call on UFO to use its self-imposed June 30 deadline for a constructive way forward and to actually engage with us in the proposed discussions. Our joint goal must be to avoid strikes under all circumstances,” the company released in a written statement. In the meantime, while the threat of strikes comes from cabin crew, the pilots are locked in mediation and part of that deal rules out the possibility of pilots’ strikes until the end of July.