The series of strikes, protests and other actions that have disrupted Lufthansa operations off-and-on over the last several years should be ended by a new contract agreement signed by the airline and the pilots’ union Cockpit.
The agreement includes an 8.7% pay increase spread out over several dates from January 1, 2016 to January 1, 2019, and includes a one-time bonus of about a half month’s pay. The contract runs to the end of 2019. Other issues, including pilot pensions must still be agreed to separately.
Included in the deal are the pilots of Lufthansa’s cargo airline and its discount Germanwings subsidiary. Lower rates at those had been an issue. However, the contract terms will not include pilots who will be hired for 40 new aircraft being added to the fleet. That carve-out may carry the seed of future issues.
The agreement came fairly quickly after the airline and union called in a mediator in December to guide what had an become intractable dispute.
