Guys, this is an absolute mess. A couple of days ago, I covered how Lufthansa was dealing with back-to-back strikes from pilots and flight attendants. Well, I need to provide an update… we’re now seeing back-to-back-to-back strikes.
It amazes me how bad Lufthansa management is at labor relations, despite the top brass at the company somehow priding themselves in being good at this. I just don’t get it. Oh, and today is officially Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary celebration, and the airline is grounded!
Strikes shut down Lufthansa for five straight days
Let’s not beat around the bush — Lufthansa has some labor relations issues, and things are getting rough:
- Lufthansa pilots went on strike on Monday & Tuesday (April 13-14), after going on strike on March 12-13
- Lufthansa flight attendants are on strike on Wednesday & Thursday (April 15-16), after going on strike on April 10
- Lufthansa pilots are going back on strike on Thursday & Friday (April 16-17); I’m not even sure why they’re going on strike on April 16 when another group is already striking to ground the airline, but there you have it…
So for those keeping track at home, the three strikes will mostly ground Lufthansa for five consecutive days, and for six days over a period of eight days. A vast majority of flights departing Germany are being canceled. The issue revolves around how management and the unions can’t see eye-to-eye on pay, pensions, etc.
There’s no end in sight for either of these strikes, since the parties are a long ways off in terms of what they’re willing to settle for (or so they claim). For example, the union representing pilots has proposed binding arbitration, but that was rejected by management.
No disrespect to Lufthansa management, but it just feels like déjà vu at the airline, over and over and over. I understand contract negotiations can be contentious, but seriously, this has been such a consistent mess at the Star Alliance carrier. And it doesn’t have to be this way… just look at how Air France has changed on that front over the years, with good management.
What exactly has Lufthansa’s top management accomplished that makes them worthy of keeping their jobs and earning their performance bonuses? Is it the smashing success of Lufthansa Allegris, or…?
Unions blast management for not negotiating
A bargaining expert for the flight attendant union claims that “we are dealing here with an employer who has adopted a hardline position while constantly proclaiming their readiness to negotiate at any time,” which seems pretty spot on. Meanwhile a representative for the pilot union claims “the situation is deadlocked,” and states “we are not concerned with power struggles or egoism, but with sustainable solutions.”
Lufthansa’s management has claimed that the requests of employees are “absurd and impossible to fulfill,” and that when it comes to the costs of the strikes, “every strike shrinks the affected airline.”
Funny enough, Lufthansa is having its 100th anniversary celebration today, and German Chancellor Merz will be in attendance. Lufthansa employees intend to protest the event, with a union representative stating that “when management celebrates Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary together with federal politicians, we will make it clear there under what conditions the employers operate – and on whose backs current decisions are being made.”
Keep in mind that Lufthansa is the lowest margin airline in Lufthansa Group, and the company has even told employees that it’s so unprofitable that it can’t afford new planes. Yet Lufthansa Group is increasingly centralizing management functions in Frankfurt, because apparently it’ll work out best if the higher margin airlines are more closely controlled by the lower margin airline.
Bottom line
It’s not a good week for Lufthansa, as we’re seeing five days of consecutive strikes, split between pilots and flight attendants. They’re not just back-to-back strikes, but back-to-back-to-back strikes. As if there’s not enough going on in the world, Lufthansa really can’t seem to keep its labor relations under control, and that’s a shame to see.
Hopefully these issues are resolved soon, as everyone loses out when these kinds of problems drag on. How sad that this is how Lufthansa is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
What do you make of Lufthansa’s labor relations disaster?
