Germany: Lufthansa reaches new collective agreement with trade union

Frankfurt (Germany), 27 March (LaPresse) – Lufthansa has averted strikes by another group of workers. The airline and the Verdi trade union have reached a new collective agreement covering around 20,000 ground staff. According to both parties, employees will receive an overall pay rise of around 4.6% in two stages. Employees of Lufthansa Technik and Lufthansa Cargo will receive a retroactive pay rise of 2.2% from 1 January, followed by a further increase of 2.4% on 1 March 2027. The collective agreement runs for 26 months, until the end of February 2028. Michael Niggemann, a member of Lufthansa’s Executive Board responsible for human resources and legal affairs, said that the long-term nature of the agreement ensures reliability. The deal sends a clear signal in times of geopolitical crisis. The Verdi trade union expressed a similar view. “This collective agreement creates security in uncertain times,” said chief negotiator Marvin Reschinsky. “Employees will have an average of around €220 more in their pockets each month.” Verdi entered the negotiations demanding a 6% pay rise over twelve months. At the very least, the demand was for an increase of €250 per month.