Lufthansa, union Verdi agree 18month wage deal
Agreement favours lowerincome workers
Deal averts further walkouts by ground staff

FRANKFURT, Aug 5 Reuters Ground staff of Germany39;s Lufthansa and management have reached a pay deal after a third round of negotiations, averting further walkouts during the busy summer travel season, labour union Verdi and the carrier said late on Thursday.

Airlines across Europe are facing labour strife this summer as the rapid recovery in tourism has led to staff shortages and soaring inflation has prompted employees to demand higher wages.

The pay dispute at Lufthansa resulted in a strike last week that caused the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights.

The carrier still faces uncertainty over possible walkouts by its workers. The carrier is due to hold talks next week with pilots, who have already voted in favour of strikes.

After two years during which the global COVID19 pandemic held back wage increases in the aviation sector and inflation now hovering around 8, the deal announced late on Wednesday will mean wage increases in real terms, Verdi said.

It includes a pay hike of 200 euros a month from July 1 this year, plus an increase by 2.5 or at least 125 euros a month from Jan. 1 next year and another 2.5 from July 1, 2023.

It will mean bigger increases for lowerincome staff and smaller ones for workers in higher income brackets. For instance, for staff working at checkin counters at airports it will mean total increases of…