Frankfurt, August 26, 2024, The Europe Today: Discover Airlines, the holiday subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group, is set to face significant disruptions as pilots and cabin crew plan a four-day strike starting on Tuesday, August 27. The strike, announced by trade unions on Sunday, is expected to cause severe disruptions to travel plans during the peak of the summer holiday season.
The strike, which will impact all departures from Germany, comes after an overwhelming vote in favor of industrial action by Discover Airlines staff. The decision follows a conflict between unions representing airline workers, which has escalated in recent weeks.
Unions at Odds Over Collective Agreements
The strike is rooted in a dispute that arose after negotiations with the Verdi union, which recently secured the first collective agreements for pilots and flight attendants at Discover Airlines. However, two other unions, Cockpit, representing pilots, and UFO, representing cabin crew, have strongly opposed these agreements.
Cockpit and UFO argue that Verdi lacks sufficient membership within the airline’s operations and accuse Lufthansa of establishing Verdi as a bargaining partner to undercut existing pay agreements. The two unions, which work closely together, view Verdi as a competitor and have sought to bypass the agreements it has struck with Lufthansa.
In response to the impending strike, Discover Airlines has posted a message on its website advising passengers to check their flight status regularly. “Trade unions Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) and Unabhängige Flugbegleiter Organisation (UFO) have called for a strike at Discover Airlines between August 27, 2024, and August 30, 2024. Please check your current flight status regularly and enter your contact details,” the message reads.
Financial Impact on Lufthansa
Operating out of Frankfurt and Munich, Discover Airlines has a fleet of 27 aircraft and employs nearly 2,000 staff. The strike is expected to have a considerable impact on the airline’s operations, further straining Lufthansa’s financial performance.
Joachim Vazquez Bürger, the head of UFO, expressed regret over the decision to strike but emphasized that it was a last resort. “Impacts on Discover Airlines flights will unfortunately be unavoidable in this context. We sincerely regret this circumstance,” Bürger said. “We never take this path lightly, but as a last conceivable step, without exception.”
The strike comes at a challenging time for Lufthansa. Germany’s flagship airline recently reported increased financial losses for the first quarter of the year, attributing much of the decline to earlier industrial actions. The upcoming strike at Discover Airlines is likely to exacerbate these financial challenges, with significant operational disruptions expected.
As the strike looms, travelers are urged to stay informed about their flights and consider alternative arrangements as necessary.
