The Lufthansa Group is presenting its detailed key figures for the second quarter this Thursday (7:00 a.m.) and is also hoping for a groundbreaking wage agreement for ground staff.
The negotiations with the Verdi union that began on Wednesday should be continued at Frankfurt Airport. In the event of failure, Verdi Vice-Chairwoman Christine Behle has already threatened further warning strikes. Ground staff canceled more than 1,000 flights last Wednesday.
Lufthansa manages return to profitability
The main features of the business figures are already known, so that particular attention is paid to statements on further business development. Accordingly, the corona-plagued MDax group managed to return to the profit zone in the second quarter. Before interest and taxes, adjusted consolidated earnings were between 350 and 400 million euros (prior-year period: minus 827 million euros). Above all, the freight division and Lufthansa Technik, which is up for sale in part, contributed to the positive result. Sales climbed to 8.5 billion euros in the spring after 3.2 billion euros in the same quarter of the previous year.
Union calls for wage increases of 9.5 percent
In the collective bargaining, the union is demanding continuous salary increases of 9.5 percent for the approximately 20,000 employees over a period of twelve months, but at least 350 euros per month, which would result in higher increases in the lower salary brackets. In addition, the minimum hourly wages should rise to at least 13 euros and later comply with a collectively agreed distance from the statutory minimum wage. This will rise to 12 euros on October 1 of this year.
The group had offered a two-stage increase in the basic salary by a total of 250 euros over a period of 18 months. The company had calculated that this would result in double-digit growth rates for remuneration groups up to EUR 3,000 gross. In addition, from July 2023 there should be more money for every two percent if the group makes a profit again. Verdi also rejects this link to the group result.
