Industrial conflict settled at Lufthansa

On 9 April 1997, Deutsche Lufthansa, the Union for Public Services, Transport and Communication (ÖTV) and the German Salaried Employees' Union (DAG) agreed a package of agreements, which ended months of industrial action.

On 9 April 1997, the airline company Deutsche Lufthansa AG, the Union for Public Services, Transport and Communication (Gewerkschaft Öffentliche Dienste, Transport und Verkehr, ÖTV) and the German Salaried Employees' Union (Deutsche Angestelltengewerkschaft, DAG) concluded a package deal, which ended months of industrial action. The DAG agreed to be covered by the Lufthansa-ÖTV collective agreements signed in October 1996. Furthermore, the deal provides for an increase in the profit-sharing bonus of DEM 100 and an overtime pay rise for cockpit employees. From September 1997, the trade unions have the right to terminate the wage agreements in the event that Lufthansa does not keep special rules which were jointly established. In addition, Lufthansa, the ÖTV and the DAG agreed on the continuation of the existing collective agreement which maintains the status quo for cabin crew, as well as the existing general agreement on pay grades for ground staff, for another three years.

The 1996 Lufthansa-ÖTV agreements (vaild for 27months until the end of 1998) include a lump-sum payment, a general pay increase of 1.7%, measures to avoid redundancies, 100% sick pay, a profit-sharing scheme and an increase in the wage paid under the part-time work for older workers scheme (DE9704108F) to 85% of the last net income.The DAG criticised the agreements signed by ÖTV for their long duration and demanded a higher wage increase. In February 1997, a DAG strike ballot failed to obtain the minimum 70% support of its members required by the DAG statutes.