The Lufthansa subsidiary, Discover Airlines, will face a strike this week as a result of an ongoing union conflict. From Tuesday, August 27, to Friday, August 30, pilots and cabin crew, led by the unions Ufo and Vereinigung Cockpit (VC), will halt operations at all German airports.
The strike was announced in response to a recent collective bargaining agreement reached between Discover Airlines and the service union Verdi, which Ufo and VC view as undermining their long-standing negotiations.
The unions had been negotiating with Discover Airlines for months to establish their own collective agreements, which were reportedly close to being finalised. However, Discover’s sudden deal with Verdi last week, bypassing Ufo and VC, sparked outrage. The unions see this move as a tactic by the Lufthansa Group to weaken their influence.
VC President Andreas Pinheiro criticised the airline’s management for what he described as disrespectful treatment. The unions intend to use the strike to pressure Discover Airlines into recognising and implementing their agreements instead of the one negotiated with Verdi. Discover has not commented on the allegations but plans to proceed with the Verdi agreement.
