Airline companies had to cancel hundreds of flights due to the warning strike of ground and security services personnel at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport, Germany.
After the collective agreement negotiations between the ground handling personnel working at Berlin Airport and the Data Syndicate representing the security guards could not yield results, the employees went on a one-day strike at the call of the union.
Employees gathered in Willy-Brandt Square in front of the airport and demonstrated. After the demonstration attended by hundreds of people, the employees continued their protest inside the airport. Due to the strike, the airport lounge remained empty.
Sabine Deckwerth, the press spokesperson of the Berlin-Brandenburg Airport company, said in a statement to the AA correspondent that approximately 300 take-offs and landings are planned, normally with 35 thousand passengers.
Deckwerth stated that the Verdi union called the employees of many companies to a one-day strike at the airport, pointing out that hundreds of flights were canceled and that no passengers landed or flew from the airport today, and no passenger planes took off due to this warning strike.
Deckwerth stated that the airline companies informed the passengers about the strike, and that it may be possible that very few passengers could not receive this information, and asked the passengers affected by the strike to contact the airline companies.
“FROM TOMORROW, IT WILL CONTINUE AS PLANNED”
Spokesperson Deckwert reminded that the traffic at the airport will continue as planned from tomorrow, but there may be an increase in the number of passengers due to some delayed flights.
Verdi Union Representative Holger Rössler also stated that an agreement could not be reached in the three collective bargaining negotiations between the companies providing ground handling and security services at the airport and the employees of the airport company. “Therefore, we wanted to put pressure before the next meetings.” said.
Expressing that they aim to get a quick result in the negotiations, Rössler explained that they called the employees to strike all day to give a strong signal today.
Rössler pointed out that the offer made by the employers was far from the demand of the union. “We have very high rates of price increase. This means that employees lose money every day. It means compensating for the price increases we demand.” made his comment.
Rössler noted that middle and low income earners were seriously affected by these price increases, and therefore they demanded a 500 Euro wage increase.
Sven Munsonius, who participated in the strike and has been working at the airport for 35 years, pointed out that the prices for normal citizens in the country have increased excessively recently, and stated that the demand for 500 euros is justified.
Noting that the requested amount is a basis for negotiation, Munsonius said, “But[the salary increase]should be roughly above that so that we can buy back gas and food that has become more expensive due to rapidly increasing inflation.” used the phrase.
MOST OF THE PASSENGERS DID NOT COME TO THE AIRPORT
While most of the passengers did not come to the airport due to the strike, it was noteworthy that a few passengers came to the airport.
Some of the passengers were requested by the respective airlines to travel by train to Frankfurt Airport, approximately 600 km away, to catch alternative flights to their destinations.
Belen Gonnsilosgrau, who came to Berlin-Brandenburg Airport to go to Madrid, Spain, told AA news that she had not received any message that the flights were cancelled.
Gonnsilosgrau, “I did not receive any messages. They canceled my check-in process. I couldn’t check the latest status of my flight because the website is not working. I don’t know what to do now” said.
The Verdi union is demanding 500 euros more on salaries.
The next meetings between the employers and the union will be held on 30 January and 8 February. Today’s warning strike is expected to affect 35,000 passengers.
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