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Lufthansa and Verdi Reach Pay Deal for 20,000 Ground Staff

Union approval remains pending, leaving pilots and cabin crew as the main strike risk.

Overview

  • Lufthansa and Verdi, which announced the pact Friday, agreed to a 26‑month contract that runs through February 2028 for ground employees.
  • The deal lifts base pay by about 4.6% in two steps, with a 2.2% rise backdated to January 1, 2026 and a further 2.4% from March 1, 2027, while the first step starts a year later for Lufthansa’s core ground staff.
  • Apprentice pay climbs by €100 in two stages, technical roles get a revaluation that can add up to 5%, lower-paid workers at Cargo and Technik units receive larger boosts, and union members gain three extra days off during the term.
  • The agreement includes an eight‑year ban on shifting passenger and aircraft handling jobs to lower‑paid firms, a major job‑security pledge that Verdi had sought.
  • The settlement still needs a member vote, and strike risk persists because cabin crew backed walkouts by roughly 94% at Lufthansa and 99% at CityLine, after pilot strikes weeks ago canceled hundreds of flights and as Lufthansa offers talks to the pilots’ union.