On Thursday, security personnel at many of the major airports in Germany, including the international hub Frankfurt, went on strike, causing flight disruptions and further straining the continent’s largest economy.
The country’s transport industry has been immobilised by a series of industrial actions in recent weeks, the most recent of which is the 24-hour strike announced by the labour union Verdi.
The German airports organisation ADV estimated on Wednesday that over 1,100 flight cancellations or delays would affect over 200,000 travellers as four of Germany’s largest airports, including Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, and Stuttgart, stated there would be no passenger departures.
The general manager of the association, Ralph Beisel, said, “In Germany, we see strike announcements almost daily to the detriment of mobility and the economy. This must be stopped.”
Also, the Verdi lead negotiator, Wolfgang Pieper, said in a statement, “Safety in air traffic does not come for free.”
On behalf of 25,000 employees in the industry, the union has stated that it is requesting a 2.80 euro hourly wage increase as well as more generous overtime compensation spread out over a 12-month period.
Following a week-long statewide protest by German farmers who blocked the nation’s roadways, German train drivers last week embarked on their longest railway strike to record.
All federal states save Bavaria are scheduled to suspend public transport on Friday due to anticipated industrial action.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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