This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29683715
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Lufthansa pilots' strike expanded to long-haul services | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
A Lufthansa pilots' strike on Monday affecting mostly European flights has been expanded to include long-haul destinations on Tuesday. | |
Pilots on short-haul routes are due to strike from midday Monday for 35 hours, causing the cancellation of 1,450 flights and hitting 200,000 travellers. | |
Pilots are protesting against plans to alter retirement and pension terms. | |
German rail travellers also faced cancellations and delays over the weekend as strikes hit the railways | German rail travellers also faced cancellations and delays over the weekend as strikes hit the railways |
Only about a third of inter-city trains were running. The two strikes are over unrelated issues. | Only about a third of inter-city trains were running. The two strikes are over unrelated issues. |
Retirement age | |
Monday's Lufthansa strike will be the eighth this year. The union's decision to also target long-haul services on Tuesday marks a deepening of the dispute. | |
Last week, the pilot's union, Vereinigung Cockpit, called out its members at Lufthansa's budget airline, Germanwings, for a 12-hour stoppage. | |
"Regrettably Lufthansa has not acted on the compromise proposals of VC after seven strikes now since April this year and is stonewalling," the union said in a statement. | "Regrettably Lufthansa has not acted on the compromise proposals of VC after seven strikes now since April this year and is stonewalling," the union said in a statement. |
The union, which represents about 5,400 Lufthansa pilots, is calling on the airline to reconsider its decision to raise the age that they can retire from 55. | |
The company has offered to retain the scheme for existing members but not to extend it to new recruits. | The company has offered to retain the scheme for existing members but not to extend it to new recruits. |
Monday's strike is expected to affect affect mostly services in Europe. Lufthansa said it hoped to be able to operate a third of its flights. | |
Germany's government is expected to produce a draft law later this year aimed at stopping small numbers of employees paralysing large parts of the country's infrastructure through strike action. | Germany's government is expected to produce a draft law later this year aimed at stopping small numbers of employees paralysing large parts of the country's infrastructure through strike action. |
The train drivers' strike was over demands by the GDL for a 5% pay for 20,000 drivers and a shorter working week. | |
Deutsche Bahn has promised normal services will resume on Monday. | |
The head of the GDL union, Claus Weselsky, said there would be a week-long break before any further strikes. |