A warning attack by security forces led to numerous flight cancellations at the capital’s BER airport on Monday morning. Employee security and access control personnel stopped work early in the morning.
According to an airport spokesman, two-thirds of departures were cancelled. Queues formed at the terminal. (Current arrival and departure information can be found here on the BER website.)
According to the Verdi union, around 220 colleagues participated in the warning strike on the morning shift. “We are excited about the turnout,” said Verdi’s representative, Helge Biering. The warning strike is planned for the whole day.
At several German airports, passengers had to expect flight cancellations and delays on Monday due to Verdi’s warning strike. The union assumed that around 1,350 employees across the country would take part in the warning strike.
At the affected airports, passengers should expect considerable restrictions in some cases. Passengers should inform themselves about airline delays or cancellations and plan more time for their trip, the Berlin-Brandenburg airport company said. Airport association ADV expects a double-digit number of canceled flights across the country.
Strikes also in Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn and Leipzig
The warning strike is part of the wage dispute between Verdi and the Federal Association of Aviation Safety Companies (BDLS). There is also a strike at the airports in Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Bremen, Hannover and Leipzig. The union is negotiating with the bosses a new collective agreement for some 25,000 security forces throughout the country.
In late February, after two rounds of negotiations without result, there were warning strikes at individual airports. At the beginning of March, the third round also had no result.
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Verdi describes the employer’s offer as “insufficient.” The Federal Association of Aviation Security Companies had talked about approaches after the most recent talks, but ideas were still a long way off.
Verdi wants to sign a contract for twelve months and increase the hourly wage by at least one euro. Salaries for baggage and staff screeners should reach the level of passenger screening clerks, aircraft security and boarding pass clerks should be paid uniformly across the country. Both sides want to meet on March 16-17 in Berlin to continue negotiations. (dpa)
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