Pilots at German flag-carrier Lufthansa are being balloted for industrial action after long-running talks on pay and conditions failed to reach a settlement.
The pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit has opened a ballot today which will close on 17 February.
It has invited participation from Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo and Germanwings air crews - some 4,500 pilots in total.
The union says that it needs to secure 70% of the vote in favour of action to engage in industrial action. It believes it will obtain "broad agreement" with its position in the dispute.
Vereinigung Cockpit states that it is concerned that Lufthansa will replace jobs in Germany through resources drawn from its various foreign subsidiary carriers.
It says its members would have been prepared to made concessions to Lufthansa's cost-saving programme 'Climb 2011' if the carrier had been willing to give assurances over job security.
A spokesman for Lufthansa says simply that the carrier regrets the ballot decision.
"It's not the right time, with the industry under so much pressure," he says, adding that the carrier remains open to further discussions with the union.
Vereinigung Cockpit says that its negotiating commission has been "constructively" seeking to come to a "reasonable agreement" with Lufthansa. Talks, which have taken place since May, broke down last month.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
