AIronically, at the start of the holiday season in northern Germany, Verdi technical staff at Hamburg Airport are calling for a warning strike on Friday. Around 200 employees at Real Estate Maintenance GmbH (RMH), who are responsible for maintaining the technology in baggage handling, the runways and other infrastructure, are to stop working for 24 hours starting with the early shift. “We need a good sip from the bottle now,” Verdi expert Lars Stubbe told Reuters. Because there was no wage increase during the Corona period and the employees had to make do with increased short-time work benefits. If passengers are affected, the union regrets this. It was not a targeted approach to hitting passengers.
But it could well come to that. Last weekend, for example, the start of the holiday season in North Rhine-Westphalia led to chaotic conditions. Many passengers missed their flight or had to travel on vacation without their luggage. The union is demanding 8.5 percent more wages for RMH employees over a period of twelve months. So far, employers have only offered four percent per year for a period of two years, as well as other non-table benefits, explained Verdi.
A massive staff shortage at airlines and especially at ground service providers is currently causing chaotic conditions at airports in Germany and Europe. This leads to delays, queues and flight cancellations and could trigger further disruptions during the holiday season when flights increase. Friday is the last day of school before the summer holidays in Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Even after several hours, Hamburg Airport was initially unable to assess the extent to which the warning strike could affect processes at the airport and all air traffic. The first day of vacation in Hamburg is July 7th.
