The warning strike has begun on BER! 300 flights have been cancelled
from BZ / dpa
One of the most significant red flags in recent years has occurred at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport (BER).
The union called on the 6,000 workers in the airport company, ground handling services and aviation security to stop work by 11:59 p.m.
As a result, BER passenger traffic could not be processed on Wednesday. It was originally planned 300 takeoffs and landings with about 35,000 passengers.
Instead, about 1,500 people gathered in BER for Verdi’s warning strike. “We stand together as the BER family in the collective bargaining dispute,” said Verdi negotiator Holger Roessler.
Joe Cooney and his wife, Patricia, have only been in Berlin for a few days and now want to continue on to Antalya, where they live Photo: dpa radio
The willingness of employees to continue to warn against strikes has always been great. “It wasn’t a matter of whether it was a matter of time,” Roesler said.
Verdi’s union called a day-long warning strike at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport. No passenger flights are expected to take off or land there Photo: dpa radio
Verdi is asking for additional wages of €500 per month for airport and ground handling personnel with a collective agreement duration of twelve months. In both negotiations, the employer is demanding significantly longer contract periods.
A group carrying trolley bags walk next to the strikers during an early morning warning strike at BER Berlin Brandenburg Airport Photo: dpa radio
Meanwhile, passenger traffic has stopped at Beirut International Airport. The halls were empty. Only a few passengers who did not hear about the cancellation arrived in time or were not informed by their airlines.
Stranded in BER: Passenger Gent B. (17)
Passenger Gent B. is also stranded. (17 years old) in BER: He came from Hamburg and made a reservation for Tuesday evening because he wanted to travel to Skopje for a funeral.
Vaclav Vesely came to BER from Prague because he wanted to travel to Asia and New Zealand with his partner for a year. They knew of the strike but hoped that a few flyers would go to Singapore Photo: dpa radio
According to union secretary Enrico Roemker, more than 1,800 strikers signed up to the lists on Wednesday.
After assembling on Willy Brandtplatz, the strike participants marched in a long procession, waving flags and whistling, through the streets around the airport and once through the terminal.
The word “Deleted” was written on a display board during the warning strike at BER Berlin Brandenburg Airport Photo: dpa radio
The last big warning shot with similar consequences was several years ago: In April 2018, hundreds of flights across Germany were canceled because the collective bargaining of municipal and federal employees did not progress.
In eight federal states, tens of thousands of employees have stopped work during a warning strike. In addition to airports, urban transportation, day care centers, clinics, departments, and indoor swimming pools have also been affected in many places.
Airports were involved at the time because, even after privatization, many municipal employees were still employed checking baggage and identification, among other things.
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