The travel group Tui has prepared for possible warning strikes at its airline Tuifly in the cabin and on the ground. Tui boss Sebastian Ebel announced this at the company's annual general meeting in Hanover. While negotiations with the pilots are close to a solution, differences continue with the Verdi union, which represents around 1.300 employees in the cabin, on the ground and in technology. Verdi is demanding a pay rise and improvements in working conditions. A warning strike is no longer ruled out and could begin as early as February.
Verdi is demanding a 17 percent salary increase for cabin crew, but at least 500 euros per month, for a period of twelve months. In addition, an earlier Corona agreement, which stipulated a wage cut until 2019, is to be withdrawn. For ground workers, the union is demanding a salary increase of 8 percent as well as improvements in working hours and shift work. Tui is trying to find a solution, as the group is obliged as a package tour operator to either transport customers or offer replacement services.
Tui CEO Ebel stressed that the negotiations were a "tough struggle" to find an economically viable solution, with the difficult location conditions in Germany also playing a role. He stressed that the market was characterized by overcapacity, which affected Tuifly's future viability. Negotiations with cabin crew are set to continue on Wednesday and Thursday.
In contrast, negotiations with the pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit are in the final stages. It is reported that Tuifly and Vereinigung Cockpit are within an agreement corridor.
and 