Air traffic has largely returned to normal. There is also no threat of new strikes in the next few days, as the air traffic control union (gdf) explained. 3.2 million euros in damages were at issue in court on thursday, which lufthansa, air berlin and ryanair are jointly demanding from the gdf for merely threatening pilot strikes last summer.
The frankfurt labor court had halted the apron strike at germany’s most important air hub on wednesday after almost two weeks because the gdf had violated the peace obligation with two subordinate strike objectives. The strike ended immediately. The 200 or so strikers effectively resumed work with the start of the early shift on thursday. Previously, the same court had already prohibited a support strike by the air traffic controllers of deutsche flugsicherung (DFS), which had probably paralyzed the entire airport.
On thursday, the gdf again called on fraport for new negotiations for all of the approximately 200 employees. "Ultimately, fraport cannot be interested in a new strike," said gdf spokesman matthias maas. The airport operator, on the other hand, does not want to release the aircraft dispatchers – just under half of the strikers – from their collective bargaining agreement. Fraport has only offered the other two occupational groups, apron controllers and traffic planners, an offer above the basic pay scale. This would still include increases of up to 70 percent for the pilots, because they could refer to comparable salaries of their colleagues in munich.
Lufthansa increased legal pressure on the air traffic control union (gdf). The airline insisted at a court hearing on thursday on its million-dollar claim following two strike announcements by air traffic controllers last summer. "Considerable damage has been caused," the airline’s lawyer said on thursday at a good date in the frankfurt labor court. Together with air berlin and ryanair, lufthansa is demanding around 3.2 million euros in damages from gdf. As expected, the parties did not reach an agreement at the court hearing. On 16. August now a labor judge is to decide on the complaint.