Jens Ritter, CEO of Lufthansa Airlines, has sharply criticized the current strike by the unions VC and Ufo at the subsidiary Discover Airlines. In a press conference in Frankfurt, Ritter described the industrial action as "completely impossible" in view of the recently reached collective agreement with the union Verdi. Ritter stressed that Discover Airlines needs "good prospects and sustainable growth" and that the strikes would damage the company.
The unions VC (Cockpit Association) and Ufo (Independent Flight Attendants Organisation) are dissatisfied because they feel excluded by the collective agreement with Verdi, which represents the largest union in the Lufthansa Group. They argue that they have more members than Verdi in the still young airline and that, as trade unions for the flight personnel, they are more competent collective bargaining partners.
Lufthansa's parent company is helping Discover Airlines to minimize the impact of the strike. On the first day of the strike, only six of the 55 scheduled flights were canceled. The strike is leading to a significant organizational effort, and Ritter plans to reform the complex set of collective bargaining agreements in the Lufthansa Group.
In addition to the strike, Lufthansa is struggling with financial challenges, including increased costs and increasing pressure from international competition, particularly from Chinese airlines. Lufthansa is aiming to break even this year, while German airports are under pressure from increased costs.
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