Almost 300 flights were canceled at the Hamburg Airport on Sunday after land management staff organized a surprise strike before a national strike planned in Germany.
According to a statement from the Hamburg airport, the workers left work after only 10 flights were processed in the morning, causing the cancellation of 144 arrivals and 139 outings. More than 40,000 passengers were affected by the interruption.
The measure occurred without prior notice of the German Verdi union, which represents land management and public sector workers.
Initially, the union had planned to start the strikes on Monday, but the early strike in Hamburg surprised many.
Verdi said industrial action would continue until Monday and extend to passenger security controls, probably aggravate delays and interruptions. The airport pointed out that the strike would severely affect the families traveling during the spring local holidays.
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The union is pressing for a salary increase of 8% or an increase of at least 350 euros ($ 380) per month, along with higher bonds and more free time. Employers have dismissed the demands as unaffordable, and Verdi has intensified their campaign after several strikes last month.
“Already two rounds of strikes between conversations. That is clearly excessive and unfair for tens of thousands of travelers who have nothing to do with disputes, “said a Hamburg airport spokesman.”
In response to the criticism of the unexpected action, a spokesman for Verdi in Hamburg explained that the decision to attack early was strategic.
“We do this to press the employer so that a reasonable offer finally reaches the table in the negotiations,” said the spokesman. “We can only make the strikes effective asking for short -term actions over the weekend.”
According to Reuters, a broader interruption is expected on Monday, with large airports such as Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Colonia/Bonn, Duesseldorf, Dortmund, Hanover, Bremen, Berlin and Leipzig-Halle, all affected.
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