Tuesday, August 27, 2024 Discover Airlines is preparing for a four-day strike by its flight attendants, represented by the Independent Flight Attendants Organisation (Unabhängige Flugbegleiter Organisation, UFO). The strike, scheduled to take place from August 27 to August 30, is a response to what the union claims are attempts by the airline to persuade cabin crew members to join a different union, the United Services Trade Union. The industrial action is expected to impact departures from several German airports, causing potential disruptions for travelers.
Data from aviation analytics company Cirium indicates that Discover Airlines has 135 departures planned from Germany during the strike period, with each flight carrying an average of 212.7 passengers. The strike underscores the ongoing conflict between Discover Airlines and its flight attendants over union representation and labor rights.
As the strike approaches, passengers are advised to stay informed about potential flight changes and plan accordingly to minimize travel disruptions. Serial No Date Flights Seats (Total) 1 August 27 31 6,744 2 August 28 33 6,982 3 August 29 36 7,689 4 August 30 35 7,284 Total 135 28,699 In a recent comparison paper, the Independent Flight Attendants Organisation (UFO) has criticized the collective labor agreement proposed by ver.di, highlighting significant shortcomings.
UFO claims that ver.di’s agreement offers considerably less favorable terms than what they are demanding from Discover Airlines. The union alleges that Discover Airlines has not engaged in negotiations over the past two years, leaving UFO with no choice but to advocate for a more substantial pay package.
UFO is seeking a pay increase that is approximately 20% higher than ver.di’s proposal, with the agreement extending until December 31, 2026. In contrast, ver.
di’s deal would expire a year earlier. Additionally, UFO plans to push for salary increases of 8.5% in 2025 and 6.
5% in 2026, compared to ver.di’s flat 5% raise over three years. The discrepancies between the two unions’ proposals go beyond base salary.
UFO’s demands include more vacation days, additional time off, and higher allowances, aiming to provide a more comprehensive compensation package for flight attendants. The context of these demands comes as Lufthansa Group reported challenges in achieving profitability in its flagship airline. High operating costs in Germany and the impact of new collective labor agreements have strained the carrier’s earnings.
In response, Lufthansa’s turnaround strategy involves expanding Discover Airlines and Lufthansa City Airlines operations at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Munich Airport (MUC) to maintain competitive costs. The differences in the proposed labor agreements between UFO and ver.di reflect the broader struggle within the industry to balance fair compensation with operational efficiency, as outlined in UFO’s recent strike announcement.
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