Lufthansa union says it will strike if management refuses mediation

LUFTHANSA's flight attendants' union has threatened a nationwide 24-hour strike on Friday September 7 if the German flag carrier does not agree to mediation after a second day of rolling strikes lasting up to 11 hours, resulting in 350 flight cancellations stranding bellyhold cargo and passengers alike.

This could have severe impact on cargo traffic because 50 per cent of the airline's shipments are carried in the bellyholds of passenger jets, noted Lloyd's Loading List.

But Lufthansa Cargo had been able to re-book cargo on the next available long-haul flight, in some cases the same day and had the option of transferring cargo on to its freight-only flights.

The cancellation of short and mid-haul services is far less of a problem for Lufthansa Cargo because most shipments go by truck.

But Friday's strike should ground two thirds of its 1,800 daily flights, said a Lufthansa spokesman.

Lufthansa Passenger Airlines executive Peter Gerber told a press conference he doubted mediation would help because it would take an outsider too long to understand the complexities of Lufthansa's pay structure, Reuters reported.

Talks between Lufthansa and the union, Unabhaengige Flugbegleiter Organisation (UFO), broke down a week ago, having failed to come to an agreement for 13 months.

UFO, which represents two-thirds of Lufthansa's 18,000 flight attendants, is demanding a five per cent pay increase and guarantees that jobs will not be outsourced, while Lufthansa has offered a pay increase of 3.5 per cent in exchange for longer hours.

Lufthansa is engaged in a severe cost cutting programme to improve profits by EUR1.5 billion (US$1.9 billion) by 2014.

UFO chief Nicoley Baublies said Lufthansa had not yet been in touch with him. "[Lufthansa Passenger Airlines executive Peter] Gerber should call me and say: 'I want a mediation.'"