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| For Many Germans, Pilots’ Walkout Crosses a Line | For Many Germans, Pilots’ Walkout Crosses a Line |
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| FRANKFURT — As with so many situations in Germany, there is an orderly way to do things and then there are ways that are not socially acceptable. That principle, it turns out, applies even to labor strikes. | FRANKFURT — As with so many situations in Germany, there is an orderly way to do things and then there are ways that are not socially acceptable. That principle, it turns out, applies even to labor strikes. |
| A three-day work stoppage by Lufthansa pilots, which began on Wednesday, appears to belong in the unacceptable category, breaking the unwritten rules of German workplace relations and disrupting what was otherwise a feel-good week for organized labor. | A three-day work stoppage by Lufthansa pilots, which began on Wednesday, appears to belong in the unacceptable category, breaking the unwritten rules of German workplace relations and disrupting what was otherwise a feel-good week for organized labor. |
| On Tuesday, public service workers won a 3 percent raise. On Wednesday, a proposal to institute a nationwide minimum wage gained broad-based political support. After a decade of almost no pay increases, German workers have been demanding, and getting, their share of the country’s economic revival. | On Tuesday, public service workers won a 3 percent raise. On Wednesday, a proposal to institute a nationwide minimum wage gained broad-based political support. After a decade of almost no pay increases, German workers have been demanding, and getting, their share of the country’s economic revival. |
| But Lufthansa pilots, who paralyzed Europe’s largest airline and interrupted the travel plans of 400,000 passengers, may have gone too far for some in the labor movement. | But Lufthansa pilots, who paralyzed Europe’s largest airline and interrupted the travel plans of 400,000 passengers, may have gone too far for some in the labor movement. |
| In Berlin, even as the coalition government of Chancellor Angela Merkel was formally proposing a national minimum wage of 8.50 euros an hour, or about $11.70, the Lufthansa strike gave new momentum for separate legislation that would curtail the ability of small but powerful unions — like the 9,300-member pilots’ union, which represents the majority of Lufthansa’s 5,500 pilots — to shut down whole economic sectors. Mainstream unions, with tens of thousands of members, fear that such legislation could threaten their right to strike. | In Berlin, even as the coalition government of Chancellor Angela Merkel was formally proposing a national minimum wage of 8.50 euros an hour, or about $11.70, the Lufthansa strike gave new momentum for separate legislation that would curtail the ability of small but powerful unions — like the 9,300-member pilots’ union, which represents the majority of Lufthansa’s 5,500 pilots — to shut down whole economic sectors. Mainstream unions, with tens of thousands of members, fear that such legislation could threaten their right to strike. |
| The pilots’ strike “is a bit against the German tradition of a fair balancing of interests,” said Werner Eichhorst, director for European labor policy at the Institute for the Study of Labor in Bonn. | The pilots’ strike “is a bit against the German tradition of a fair balancing of interests,” said Werner Eichhorst, director for European labor policy at the Institute for the Study of Labor in Bonn. |
| “The small unions are trying to exploit their power to blackmail,” he said. “The big unions see themselves threatened.” | “The small unions are trying to exploit their power to blackmail,” he said. “The big unions see themselves threatened.” |
| The pilots argue that they are fighting for the rights of all Lufthansa employees. Efforts by the airline to raise the retirement age for pilots to 61 from 58 — with a minority allowed to retire as young as 55 — are the main point of contention in the current dispute. But these efforts are part of a wider assault on employee privileges, the union, known as Vereinigung Cockpit, argues. This may be a hard sell to other Lufthansa workers, who have already endured pay cuts and must work until 65. | The pilots argue that they are fighting for the rights of all Lufthansa employees. Efforts by the airline to raise the retirement age for pilots to 61 from 58 — with a minority allowed to retire as young as 55 — are the main point of contention in the current dispute. But these efforts are part of a wider assault on employee privileges, the union, known as Vereinigung Cockpit, argues. This may be a hard sell to other Lufthansa workers, who have already endured pay cuts and must work until 65. |
| “The sympathy for the pilots is certainly limited,” Mr. Eichhorst said. “They are well paid and retire early.” | “The sympathy for the pilots is certainly limited,” Mr. Eichhorst said. “They are well paid and retire early.” |
| Average annual pay for Lufthansa pilots is €180,000, and experienced pilots can easily earn more than €200,000, or about $275,000 a year. The average German wage is the equivalent of only about $45,000 a year, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. | Average annual pay for Lufthansa pilots is €180,000, and experienced pilots can easily earn more than €200,000, or about $275,000 a year. The average German wage is the equivalent of only about $45,000 a year, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. |
| The Lufthansa strike has created a quandary for mainstream labor groups, which do not want to be seen opposing fellow unions but also fear becoming targets of the public criticism being heaped on the pilots. | The Lufthansa strike has created a quandary for mainstream labor groups, which do not want to be seen opposing fellow unions but also fear becoming targets of the public criticism being heaped on the pilots. |
| At the Frankfurt Airport on Wednesday, Uwe Heinz, 59, of Dresden, said that he was not inconvenienced by the strike on his way to a two-week vacation in Cuba because he was traveling on another airline. Still, he reflected what seemed to be widespread outrage toward the pilots’ demands. | At the Frankfurt Airport on Wednesday, Uwe Heinz, 59, of Dresden, said that he was not inconvenienced by the strike on his way to a two-week vacation in Cuba because he was traveling on another airline. Still, he reflected what seemed to be widespread outrage toward the pilots’ demands. |
| “When I see what the pilots earn, and what I have to live on, they are complaining at a very high level,” Mr. Heinz said. “The rest of us have to work until we’re 65.” | “When I see what the pilots earn, and what I have to live on, they are complaining at a very high level,” Mr. Heinz said. “The rest of us have to work until we’re 65.” |
| German unions usually prefer short, carefully focused warning strikes that demonstrate their power without squandering public sympathy. | German unions usually prefer short, carefully focused warning strikes that demonstrate their power without squandering public sympathy. |
| When members of the Ver.Di union, which represents service workers, like ticket agents, went on strike at the Frankfurt Airport last week, they began the stoppage at 3:30 a.m. and were back on the job by early afternoon. | When members of the Ver.Di union, which represents service workers, like ticket agents, went on strike at the Frankfurt Airport last week, they began the stoppage at 3:30 a.m. and were back on the job by early afternoon. |
| This approach is part of the social consensus that has guaranteed political stability since World War II. According to figures compiled by the German Confederation of Trade Unions, the average annual number of days lost to strikes in Germany from 2005 to 2012 was 16 per 1,000 employees, only slightly higher than in the United States, where the average was 10. In France, the corresponding number was 150. | This approach is part of the social consensus that has guaranteed political stability since World War II. According to figures compiled by the German Confederation of Trade Unions, the average annual number of days lost to strikes in Germany from 2005 to 2012 was 16 per 1,000 employees, only slightly higher than in the United States, where the average was 10. In France, the corresponding number was 150. |
| Much of Germany’s economic renaissance in the last decade was a result of restraint by unions, which accepted pay raises that barely covered inflation in return for promises of job security. That self-discipline helped Germany regain lost competitiveness. | Much of Germany’s economic renaissance in the last decade was a result of restraint by unions, which accepted pay raises that barely covered inflation in return for promises of job security. That self-discipline helped Germany regain lost competitiveness. |
| But as German unemployment has fallen to 5.1 percent, the second-lowest in the European Unionafter Austria, labor leaders have been pushing more aggressively for a share of the country’s prosperity. | |
| The government led by Ms. Merkel, a coalition with the labor-friendly Social Democrats, has been sympathetic, as demonstrated Wednesday when her cabinet sent draft legislation for a minimum wage to Parliament. Germany does not currently have a legal minimum wage, though most workers are covered by agreements between unions and employer groups. | The government led by Ms. Merkel, a coalition with the labor-friendly Social Democrats, has been sympathetic, as demonstrated Wednesday when her cabinet sent draft legislation for a minimum wage to Parliament. Germany does not currently have a legal minimum wage, though most workers are covered by agreements between unions and employer groups. |
| A spokesman for Ver.Di would not comment Wednesday on the strike by the Lufthansa pilots, but it is likely that the big unions do not approve of strikes with the power to cripple essential infrastructure, like hospital workers or locomotive drivers. A spokesman for the German Confederation of Trade Unions also would not comment, but he acknowledged that the group preferred that all employees of a company be represented by the same union. The confederation is opposed, however, to any limits on the right to strike. | A spokesman for Ver.Di would not comment Wednesday on the strike by the Lufthansa pilots, but it is likely that the big unions do not approve of strikes with the power to cripple essential infrastructure, like hospital workers or locomotive drivers. A spokesman for the German Confederation of Trade Unions also would not comment, but he acknowledged that the group preferred that all employees of a company be represented by the same union. The confederation is opposed, however, to any limits on the right to strike. |
| Mr. Eichhorst said that the pilots’ strike could eventually strengthen the big unions if Parliament passed legislation curtailing the power of small unions like Vereinigung Cockpit. The mainstream unions would then have a de facto monopoly in the sectors they represent. | Mr. Eichhorst said that the pilots’ strike could eventually strengthen the big unions if Parliament passed legislation curtailing the power of small unions like Vereinigung Cockpit. The mainstream unions would then have a de facto monopoly in the sectors they represent. |
| The situation may also work to Lufthansa’s advantage. The airline appeared determined to tough out the three-day strike, even though it is likely to cost the company tens of millions of euros. German news media coverage of the airline was generally positive Wednesday. | The situation may also work to Lufthansa’s advantage. The airline appeared determined to tough out the three-day strike, even though it is likely to cost the company tens of millions of euros. German news media coverage of the airline was generally positive Wednesday. |
| There was little sense of chaos at the Frankfurt Airport because Lufthansa had managed either to reroute passengers or warn them not to show up for flights that would be canceled. For those who did show up, the airline handed out free drinks and snacks near its check-in counters, where lines were short. | There was little sense of chaos at the Frankfurt Airport because Lufthansa had managed either to reroute passengers or warn them not to show up for flights that would be canceled. For those who did show up, the airline handed out free drinks and snacks near its check-in counters, where lines were short. |
| At a news conference at company headquarters at the airport Wednesday, airline executives said that as many as 100 pilots chose not to observe the strike and were still flying, and they pointed out that Lufthansa crews were also inconvenienced. More than 1,500 are stuck at airports overseas until Saturday. | At a news conference at company headquarters at the airport Wednesday, airline executives said that as many as 100 pilots chose not to observe the strike and were still flying, and they pointed out that Lufthansa crews were also inconvenienced. More than 1,500 are stuck at airports overseas until Saturday. |
| Perhaps hoping that the pilots had overplayed their hand, Werner Knorr, the head of flight operations for Lufthansa, expressed hope that this strike would be the last of its kind. “I’m optimistic we won’t have endless strikes,” he said. | Perhaps hoping that the pilots had overplayed their hand, Werner Knorr, the head of flight operations for Lufthansa, expressed hope that this strike would be the last of its kind. “I’m optimistic we won’t have endless strikes,” he said. |