FRANKFURT: Germany’s Lufthansa could face a strike at its main airline after pilots’ union VC said on Tuesday (Sep 30) its members had voted in favour of industrial action in a dispute over pensions.
The vote comes just a day after the airline group held its capital markets day, presenting a plan to boost efficiency and cut costs. VC, or Vereinigung Cockpit, said in a statement that a vast majority of members supported a strike, but no timeline was given for possible walkouts.
UNION PUSHES FOR STRONGER PENSIONS
The union has been pressing Lufthansa to agree to a more generous pension package. Lufthansa has resisted, warning it may shift more jobs to cheaper subsidiaries Discover and City Airlines if demands increase labour costs.
“The focus must continue to be on answers that are compatible with the economic performance of Lufthansa Classic,” said Michael Niggemann, Lufthansa’s head of human resources.
He added that the company’s goal in negotiations was to safeguard the long-term viability of its core Lufthansa Classic brand.
