Workers at Germany’s largest airports, including international hubs Frankfurt and Munich, are set to go on strike on Monday. Travel disruptions are expected.
Trade union Verdi on Friday said workers at Frankfurt Airport and 10 other German airports are set to go on strike on Monday.
Airports involved in Monday’s strike action include the second-busiest in Munich, along with Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Hannover, Bremen, Hamburg, Berlin and Leipzig-Halle.
What can travelers expect?
Most employees of Fraport, which operates Germany’s largest airport, are under collective wage agreements, and could join the strike, due to begin at midnight on Monday morning (2300 UTC).
Approximately 23,000 employees of ground handling service providers at almost all German airports, who are responsible for check-in and baggage handling, among other things, are included in Monday’s strike.
A spokesperson for the ADV airport association said Frankfurt and Munich airports were scheduled to operate 2,000 flights on Monday, Reuters news agency reported.
Frankfurt Airport has said there will likely be no departures on Monday, and advised passengers to avoid coming to the airport. Over 150,000 passengers are expected to be affected by the strike, the airport added.
Berlin/Brandenburg airport serving the German capital announced Friday that all flight operations would be shut down on Monday.
What is the trade union demanding?
The so-called “warning strike” comes after a second round of wage negotiations for public sector employees fell through.
Strikes at several German airports last week amid the ongoing wage dispute heavily disrupted travel.
Verdi is seeking a collective wage agreement for around 2.5 million public sector workers.
Demands include an 8% pay bump, higher bonuses, and three additional days off.
Local municipalities and the federal government have said the Verdi proposals are not financially feasible.
Other sectors included health care workers, 20,000 of whom went on strike Thursday. Workers at kindergartens were due to strike on Friday.
Another round of negotiations is set to take place next week.
