BERLIN – As striking British Airways crew return to work, pilots at Europe’s biggest airline, Lufthansa, are threatening to stage a new four-day strike from April 13 following the breakdown of talks with management.
Pilot union, Vereinigung Cockpit, says it cannot accept a proposed pay freeze unless bosses stick to what it says was an “agreed deal” on job security.
A similar strike in late February was called off after one day after both sides agreed to new negotiations.
That strike was set to cost the airline around $25m a day, the BBC reported,
The Cockpit union said Lufthansa was offering a 21-month pay freeze combined with worsening conditions.
It said in a statement, “We can only agree to a pay freeze or even reducing salaries if Lufthansa sticks to an already-agreed deal on safeguarding jobs.”
It means Lufthansa pilots will join colleagues at the carrier’s Germanwings affiliate and Lufthansa Cargo in striking to press for more job security.
The pilots say they will wait until after the Easter holiday to minimise disruption to passengers.
Meanwhile, British Airways has estimated the three-day strike by its cabin crew this week cost £7 million a day.
