Lufthansa paralyzed by strike about 1,688 flights

Suspended nearly all the 1,720 flights scheduled for the day is the account balance which the German airline Lufthansa, with the strike of ground staff.

This strike affects all German airports and the devices that are currently in other countries.

Only about 32 flights, mostly intercontinental remain standing despite the biggest strike known for years the main German airline, thereby affecting 99% of its routes.

Convened by the German Federation of Trade Unions, Ver.di (for its acronym in German) to press for collective agreement negotiations «The strikes began everywhere with the start of the first innings,» said Gerold Schaub spokesman View di in Frankfurt, who warned that passengers will find empty desks at German airports.

Although the measure was announced on Friday, giving possibility to change or cancel the tickets, as well as national clients deflect the railways Deutsche Bahn, this strike will cause multibillion-dollar losses to the company and generate problems for thousands of passengers at major airports the country.

Schaub said in this regard that the Lufthansa terminal «is practically empty, since the vast majority of affected passengers knew about the strike and were prepared.»

The union said that employees of Lufthansa stop all day at airports in Frankfurt, the continent’s busiest, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Hannover, Düsseldorf and Bonn / Cologne as well as the logistics base in Norderstedt, while in Berlin Nuremberg and the strike will end shortly after noon.

Verdi intended with this warning strike by Lufthansa ground staff pressuring the company management in collective bargaining negotiations, which have stalled.

The Lufthansa ground staff, consisting of some 33 000 employees, supported the March 21 first warning strike lasting seven hours, which forced the cancellation of 700 flights.

The union flatly rejected by insufficient supply Lufthansa address filed Wednesday that included wage changes and wage work areas based on achievement of objectives.

The workers’ representatives requested a wage increase of 5.2% for the 33 000 employees of the airline, and maintenance guarantees jobs, according to EFE dispatch.

The management committee and representatives of the company are scheduled to meet on 29 and 30 April to resume negotiations.