On April 22, 2013, the Lufthansa went on a one-day strike. As a result, 1,720 flights to many countries were cancelled. The German railways were forced to run several additional trains. The strike affected all important airports in Germany - in Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne and Düsseldorf, including forty flights from Germany to Russia and back. The Lufthansa strike affected twenty-two Moscow flights to Dusseldorf, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt am Main and back. Twelve flights were rescheduled from St. Petersburg to Munich, Frankfurt and Dusseldorf. Two flights in different directions were canceled between Frankfurt and Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod and Samara.
Civil aviation workers affiliated with the service industry union demanded a 5.2 percent wage increase for 33,000 employees. They also sought to secure mass layoff protections.
This is far from the first Lufthansa strike in its history. One month beforeThis union held a strike demanding an increase in the salaries of ground personnel. At that time, more than 700 flights had to be canceled, including transcontinental and international flights.
Moreover, flight attendants of this airline held their protest action six months earlier. Then Lufthansa canceled several thousand flights. Prior to this, the negotiations of the so-called trade union UFO, representing the interests of flight attendants, lasted 13 months. But they did not bring results, which was the reason for a series of protests. The two previous strikes of flight attendants lasted 8 hours and were held only at selected airports in Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt. But even they actually paralyzed the country's air traffic.
In the end, the long-awaited compromise on the results of the April 24-hour strike was reached. The parties agreed on a gradual increase in wages. In particular, within twenty-six months, salaries for the company's employees were increased by three percent, and for employees of subsidiaries - by almost five percent. In addition, improvements in working conditions have been promised and layoff protection has been introduced.
Although this Lufthansa strike was massive, German airports were serene. This was achieved with the help of competent notification of Lufthansa passengers. Tickets for canceled flights were compensated or exchanged for other dates.
Restructuring of Europe's largest air carrierLufthansa, the strike of its staff hit its profitability. In 2012, the German Lufthansa earned as much as 524 million euros in so-called pre-tax profits. However, this is thirty-six percent less than last year.
In addition, increased fuel costs. Kerosene spending increased by eighteen percent and amounted to almost seven and a half billion euros. This crisis is forcing the German operator to cut costs and lay off staff. Restructuring costs will affect the carrier's profits through early 2015.
