BERLIN (AP) – A day before wider protests across Germany amid new contract negotiations, a flight cancelled at Hamburg airport after a surprising strike by workers affected more than 40,000 passengers on Sunday.
The airport said only 10 of the more than 280 scheduled flights were scheduled, as scheduled early Sunday. Many service desks sat empty as passengers lined up to find information about cancellations. One large electronic departure board overhead next to the list of all flights was “cancelled” in red.
The surprise strike, reportedly only with about 30 minutes’ notice, came before a wider series of attacks took place at 13 German airports on Monday, hosted by Ver.Di Union.
The association called for a Sunday strike by security management staff so that members working in areas such as passenger services and freight and goods screening would put pressure on group representatives.
“The union’s actions are dishonorable. A strike that will not hit Hamburg Airport at the start of the holidays,” airport spokeswoman Katya Blom said in a statement.
Brom said Sunday’s strike was “overly and unfair to tens of thousands of travelers who have nothing to do with the conflict.”
Ver.DI has negotiated new contracts aimed at improving professional health and safety, increasing the number of days off, increasing annual bonuses to 50%, and freedom to choose a physician, including regular required health checks for employees.
“Strikes must cause economic damage,” said Lars Stubbe, a trade union official.
“We know it’s a huge burden for passengers. Our colleagues know that too. But they say we have to go on a strike. It has to be effective, as there are reasonable offers we will negotiate,” he said.
Some passengers did not hide their frustration.
“It was supposed to be a big strike tomorrow (Monday), so I wonder why it’s like this, and why today?” said Alba Wetzel, who wanted to travel. “It’s just stupid.”
