Security warning strikes in Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf, Hanover, Leipzig and Berlin

Numerous flights are canceled at several airports in Germany this Monday due to a day-long warning strike by aviation security employees.

According to the union, the security forces at Düsseldorf, Berlin, Bremen, Hanover and Leipzig airports have stopped working since the early hours of the morning.

The employees want to emphasize their demands for higher wages for security forces at commercial airports in the ongoing wage dispute. The union assumes that around 1,350 employees nationwide are taking part in the warning strikes.

The airport association ADV expects a high double-digit number of canceled flights nationwide. The association criticized the call for a strike as “not proportionate”. “We appeal to the collective bargaining partners to seek an agreement at the negotiating table on the disputed points,” said ADV general manager Ralph Beisel.

Flight cancellations at the affected airports

Already in the morning the warning strike led to numerous flight cancellations at the capital’s airport BER. Passenger security and employee access control staff stopped work early in the morning. According to an airport spokesman, two-thirds of the departures were canceled. Queues formed in the terminal.

According to the Verdi union, around 220 colleagues took part in the warning strike on the early shift. “We are enthusiastic about the participation,” said Verdi representative Helge Biering. The warning strike is planned for the whole day.

In Düsseldorf, around 160 of the around 290 flights originally planned had already been canceled, the airport said in the morning. According to the airport, 94 of the planned 136 arrivals and departures were canceled at Cologne/Bonn Airport. “Only ten departures take place during the day,” said the airport.

The airports called on passengers to find out from the airlines before they arrive whether their flight has been canceled. “Even if your flight takes place, significant delays in passenger checks are to be expected,” emphasized Düsseldorf Airport and called for hand luggage to be reduced to a minimum in order to speed up the checks.

As the union spokesman in Leipzig announced, 30 employees have stopped work since last evening. The effects are reflected in delays in checking people and goods. A spokesman for the airport said as many as eight flights could potentially be affected by the strike. An increased deployment of federal police officers is intended to compensate for the failures in identity checks.

Numerous flights were also canceled at the airports in Hanover and Bremen on Monday. As the online departure plans showed in the morning, 15 of 27 departures in Hanover and four of 13 in Bremen were canceled

Tariff dispute drags on

The Verdi services union is negotiating nationwide with the Federal Association of Aviation Security Companies (BDLS) for more money for the approximately 25,000 employees in the industry. Among other things, the union is demanding a wage increase of at least one euro per hour over a period of twelve months. In addition, she wants to achieve that regionally different wages are adjusted “to the highest wage level”.

At the end of February, after two rounds of negotiations without a result, there were warning strikes at individual airports. At the beginning of March, the third round also had no result. Verdi describes the employer’s offer as “insufficient”.

After the talks, the Federal Association of Aviation Security Companies spoke of approximations, but the ideas were still far apart. There have been warning strikes at several airports in recent weeks.

Verdi wants to sign a contract for twelve months and increase hourly wages by at least one euro. The salaries of the baggage and personnel inspectors should reach the level of employees in passenger control, employees in aircraft security and boarding card control should be paid uniformly nationwide.

Both sides want to meet on March 16th and 17th in Berlin for further negotiations.