Labor negotiations fail
February 25, 2012
Wage negotiations between the management of Frankfurt airport and a union representing air traffic controllers failed on Friday, raising the possibility of renewed strikes.
The airport's management, Fraport, said that the union representing the air traffic controllers, GdF, had demanded a percentage wage increase in the two-digit range, which was too high.
"We regret that despite our good offer, GdF wants to push through its excessive demands," said Herbert Mai, Fraport's work director. "During the negotiations, we offered what is from our perspective the maximum."
Representatives from GdF said that Fraport's proposal was worse than what it offered before the mediation. GdF, which is representing 200 air traffic controllers, is demanding higher pay and shorter hours.
The union argues that the construction of a fourth runway at Frankfurt airport has made work more demanding, but that compensation has not kept pace with the additional responsibility. The 200 air traffic controllers ended a five-day strike, which led to 1,000 flight cancellations, and entered the now aborted negotiations with Fraport on Thursday.
GdF spokesman Matthais Maas told the news agency dpa that new strikes are unlikely to occur over the weekend, and that the union's board will convene on Monday to discuss how it will proceed.
slk/av (dpa, Reuters)