Lufthansa has struck a cost savings deal with its pilots which will avert layoffs until March 2022.
The German carrier says the deal agreed with pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit will mean existing cost-saving measures – notably short-time working and the suspension of collective pay increases — will continue in the coming year. It adds these savings are supplemented by additional measures.
As part of the agreement Lufthansa is ruling out layoffs of pilots for operational reasons at the mainline German carrier operation, as well as Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa Aviation Training and a sub-group of Germanwings pilots until March 2022.
Last month the carrier reached a similar deal with the Verdi union providing employment protection for ground staff in 2021 in return for concessions. In the summer it struck a long-term savings deal with cabin crew represented by the UFO union.
Lufthansa, which says the deal with pilots is still subject to approval by the respective bodies, adds that the agreement provides more predictable conditions in 2021 for the two sides to continue negotiations over “sustainable solutions” for once the crisis collective agreement expires.
