- Verdi's graduation in airline workers could trigger strikes
At Lufthansa's vacation airline Discover, signs point to conflict despite a newly signed collective bargaining agreement. The unions, Cockpit (VC) and UFO, could soon call for strikes again as negotiations are not being led by them, but by their competitor, Verdi. In the power struggle among the unions, passengers might become the victims this summer.
First collective bargaining agreements for the airline founded three years ago
The company and Verdi report that they have reached collective bargaining agreements for the approximately 500 pilots and 1400 cabin crew members at the airline founded three years ago. Wage increases, allowances, and special payments have been agreed for both groups until the end of 2027, along with provisions for occupational pension schemes, duty plans, and sickness benefit supplements. "We have not concluded a dumping collective bargaining agreement," says Verdi negotiator Marvin Reschinsky.
However, things are not all well at the relatively small vacation airline with 27 aircraft, according to the competing unions UFO and VC, who feel deceived by the Lufthansa group after months of their own negotiations. They question whether Verdi has organized a significant number of Discover employees. UFO representatives speak of "a few handfuls," while they and VC together represent "around 1000 colleagues." "Verdi is being used as a collective bargaining partner by the employer," says UFO collective bargaining expert Harry Jaeger.
A spokesperson for the airline stated that they do not have knowledge of the respective union affiliation of the employees.
Verdi sees the conclusion as a success
Reschinsky dismisses the accusations. "We don't reveal our cards regarding the level of organization - just like any other trade union." For Verdi, the conclusion is a success because they have so far only been represented among ground staff and Eurowings cabin crew within the Lufthansa group. They have only had a collective bargaining agreement for pilots at the freight subsidiary Aerologic.
Verdi could benefit from the Lufthansa strategy of setting up new airlines under cost pressure, where initially there are no or later lower wage conditions than in the Lufthansa core company. This logic applies not only to Aerologic in the freight sector: Discover Airlines and City Airlines are two young companies ready to fly long and medium-haul routes cheaper than the Lufthansa core company with its wage ceilings.
The differences are hardly noticeable for customers. Group CEO Carsten Spohr has long since ordered additional aircraft for the young subsidiaries.
"VC and UFO can, of course, fight for better terms at Discover," Reschinsky taunts. Ultimately, everyone involved knows that this can only be achieved through industrial action. Only with competing collective bargaining agreements would the Tarifeinheitsgesetz (Law on the Unity of Collective Bargaining) have to determine which union is the strongest in the company and allowed to conclude collective bargaining agreements.
The VC has already announced a new vote among its members at Discover. Last winter, pilots struck in three waves and cabin crew once, causing some flights to be cancelled. In February, even pilots of the Lufthansa Boeing fleet went on a solidarity strike. Within the Lufthansa group, the VC has established a joint wage commission for the German companies.
The new VC president, Andreas Pinheiro, is ready for a fight and says, "If Discover continues to categorically exclude a wage agreement with the VC, then strike action in the summer and beyond is back on the table."
Meanwhile, Verdi hopes that the flying personnel at the low-cost subsidiaries may not feel adequately represented by the established unions VC and UFO. "We are available for a wage agreement at City Airlines," says Reschinsky. The next round in the tough union battle at Lufthansa is thus opened.
I'm not going to sugarcoat it: The controversial Collective Bargaining Agreement signed by Lufthansa's vacation airline Discover with Verdi has left UFO and VC feeling deceived and marginalized. I'm not going to lie, this power struggle among the unions could potentially lead to further disruptions for passengers this summer.
