Pilots plan two-day strike over pay

placeholder image — Pilots at German carrier Lufthansa will stage a two-day strike from Wednesday unless the company makes a “serious” offer in talks over pay, a union has said.

Pilots at German carrier Lufthansa will stage a two-day strike from Wednesday unless the company makes a “serious” offer in talks over pay, a union has said.

It would be the second strike in a week after pilots staged a walkout on Friday which led to hundreds of flights being cancelled.

The Vereinigung Cockpit union has called for a 5.5% pay rise for its members this year and an inflation-busting 8.2% increase in 2023. Pilots are also seeking a new pay and holiday structure.

The airline said those measures would increase its staffing costs by about 40%, or around 900 million euros (£776.4 million) over two years. It has instead offered a one-off increase of 900 euros (£776), amounting to a 5% increase for senior pilots and an 18% increase for those starting the profession.

Strong unions have traditionally ensured good conditions for workers in Germany, using strikes to press their demands in labour disputes.