A warning strike on January 25 is expected to result in the cancellation of all passenger flights at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport BER. Around 35,000 passengers are affected. The Verdi union has complained about the lack of progress in seven rounds of negotiations with the airport operator.
- A warning strike on January 25 is expected to result in the cancellation of all passenger flights at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport BER. Around 35,000 passengers are affected. The Verdi union has complained about the lack of progress in seven rounds of negotiations with the airport operator.
Due to a warning strike, no passenger flights are expected to take off from or land at the capital's Berlin-Brandenburg airport on Wednesday. The Verdi union has announced a day-long warning strike. The union announced on Monday that the ground handling services, the airport company and also aviation security would be affected.
"In this situation, the airport company must assume that no regular passenger flights can take place at BER on that day and has therefore also informed all partners at the airport about the announced warning strike," the airport company said. According to this, around 300 take-offs and landings with around 35,000 passengers were planned.
BER flight operations are unlikely to be maintained
The employees affected by the collective bargaining work in centralized positions in order to maintain regular flight operations. Ground handling services are responsible for refueling aircraft, loading and unloading aircraft and checking in passengers. The airport company employs traffic management, airport security – and also the fire brigade staff.
Verdi is demanding 500 euros more per month for employees of the ground handling services with a contract period of twelve months. The employer side, on the other hand, wants gradual wage increases, a term of 36 months and the introduction of experience levels. The companies Swissport, Airline Assistance Switzerland and Wisag are currently in action at BER for ground handling services. Negotiations have been going on for the approximately 2,000 employees since the beginning of December.
For the employees of the airport company, Verdi is also demanding 500 euros more per month with a twelve-month contract period. "The current ideas of the employer remain well behind the demands of the employees, both in terms of the increase and the term," said the union.
Verdi: Employers' offer "unacceptable"
In the second round of negotiations, the employers proposed three percent more from June 1 and a further two percent more from May 1, 2024, all with a term until the end of 2024 federal government would be tax-free. "According to the unanimous opinion of the tariff commission, this offer is unacceptable, insufficient and disappointing in terms of structure, amount and duration," said Verdi.
According to the union, there are nationwide negotiations for employees in aviation security, but in seven rounds of negotiations there was "actually no progress". "To date, there has been no signal from employers that they even want to find a solution," the union said. According to this, an "increase in time supplements for night, Sunday, public holiday and Saturday work as well as a better collective agreement for the payment of overtime" is being negotiated.
According to Verdi, the warning strike on Wednesday begins at the beginning of the early shift and ends late in the evening. "The strikers will gather from 8 a.m. in front of the terminal building on Willy-Brandt-Platz, where a rally will be held from 10 a.m. to around 11:30 a.m.." The union expects up to 1,500 participants. (Fabian Nitschmann, dpa/hau/tas)
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