German airport security’s nationwide protests to ground flights

A man stands near a departures board, as airport workers protest at BER airport during a strike called by German trade union Verdi, in Berlin, Germany, March 13, 2023. REUTERS FILE PHOTO

BERLIN — Security staff at some of Germany’s biggest airports, including the global hub Frankfurt, walked off the job on Thursday, grounding flights and piling pain on Europe’s largest economy.

The 24-hour strike, called by labor union Verdi, is the latest in a series of industrial actions that has paralyzed the country’s transportation sector in recent weeks.

Almost 200,000 travelers will be affected by over 1,100 flight cancellations or delays, the German airports association ADV estimated on Wednesday as some of Germany’s biggest airports including Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg and Stuttgart said there would be no departures for passengers.

READ: Operator warns of ‘massive disruptions’ in German airports strike

“In Germany, we see strike announcements almost daily to the detriment of mobility and the economy. This must be stopped,” the association’s general manager, Ralph Beisel, said.

“Safety in air traffic does not come for free,” Verdi lead negotiator, Wolfgang Pieper, said in a statement.

The union is demanding a 2.80 euro ($3.04) pay rise per hour and more generous overtime pay over 12 months on behalf of 25,000 workers in the sector, it said.

Last week, German train drivers had staged their longest railway strike to date following a week-long nationwide protest by German farmers who had blocked the country’s roads.

On Friday, industrial action is expected to bring public transport to a halt in every federal state except Bavaria.

($1 = 0.9207 euros)