Lufthansa cabin crew approve new pay deal
FRANKFURT — Cabin crew at Lufthansa voted overwhelmingly in favor of a wide- ranging pay and pensions deal with the German carrier, bringing a long- running dispute to a close, their union said on Wednesday.
Members of cabin crew union UFO have been voting for almost seven weeks on whether to accept the deal, which comprises a 3.5- year pay deal, a change to pensions, and more flexible working conditions.
Eighty-seven percent of staff voted in favor of the deal, said the union, which staged the longest ever strike in Lufthansa’s history last year at the height of the row.
“It’s the conclusion of our longest chapter with the longest strike and the longest wage contracts as part of the largest wage accord of our common history,” UFO said in a statement. “A historic result.”
Lufthansa said last month the cabin crew deal would boost its earnings before interest and tax by several hundred million euros this year, allowing it to pay a dividend.
The agreement with around 19,000 cabin crew means Lufthansa could now focus on a deal with its pilots on pay and conditions as it battles to reduce its labor costs.
However, talks between Lufthansa management and pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit broke down earlier this month and the two sides are now reassessing their positions.