Lufthansa pilots to vote on strike

Ballot to close on February 17

German pilots union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) is balloting its Lufthansa members on strike action.

VC has sent the ballot to 4,500 pilots employed by Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo and Germanwings.

The vote closes on February 17.

Lufthansa said the action is "incomprehensible".

A Lufthansa spokeswoman told ABTN: "This decision of the union to launch a strike ballot is sending the wrong signal at the wrong time.

"To put things into context, Lufthansa pilots have extremely good conditions of employment and in comparison with other professional crews, a high degree of job security.

"From our perspective, it's incomprehensible - now of all times, particularly with the economic challenges that we're all facing at the moment, and not just in the aviation industry - why this ballot has been put out, particularly as Lufthansa has no plans to impose compulsory redundancies.

"It's up the pilots in the company to set an example for others in the group."

Lufthansa has appealed to the VC to return to the negotiation table and resume talks about its "ongoing programme to safeguard the company's earnings", which aims to cut €1bn in costs and 20% of the workforce.

Lufthansa has no plans to impose compulsory redundancy. The reduction in staff numbers will be achieved though "natural wastage; people taking unpaid leave, and when a person leaves the position is not filled again", said the airline.

www.lufthansa.com   www.vcockpit.de