There is a crunch again between the unionized Lufthansa pilots and management, because, according to an internal paper, the Cockpit Association is preparing a ballot on possible strikes at Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo.

Negotiations on a new wage agreement have been deadlocked for some time. From the employer side, there should initially have been no new offer. Vereinigung Cockpit terminated the existing agreement effective June 30, 2022. Among other things, five percent more wages and annual increases, which should be based on inflation, are required.

There is also disagreement about how many aircraft should be operated under the group collective bargaining agreement. Former contracts stipulated that there must be at least 325 units. In the course of the corona pandemic, Lufthansa terminated this agreement and is currently building a "cheaper platform", which is also colloquially known as "Cityline II". This is a thorn in the side of employee representatives.

The Cockpit Association and Lufthansa are still hoping that a compromise can be found at the negotiating table. Indefinite strikes by pilots during peak travel times are no longer entirely out of the question, however, because employee representatives are already initiating a ballot.