Cancelation of 3,400 flights would affect at least half a million passengers.

On Monday, over 1,000 flights at the Frankfurt Airport have been affected as airport workers went on strike. Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt Airport, has asked originating passengers to refrain from going to the airport because all the flights departing from Frankfurt Airport have been canceled.

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Connection flights will also be affected except for the most essential airport services. Around 1,170 flights and 150,000 passengers are expected at the Frankfurt Airport on Monday when a strike has been called by the Verdi union, representing public-sector workers at various airports across the country.

The German airport association ADV estimated that over 3,400 flights would be canceled due to the strike and over half a million passengers would be affected.

Previously, on Friday, the United Services Union (Ver.di) called a warning strike to demand higher wages for employees working in the public sector and in ground handling services.

The union decided to put on a 24-hour strike because the two rounds of negotiations between the union and employers failed to produce an agreement on the union’s request for a pay rise and better working conditions.

The main airports affected are Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Hanover, Bremen, Hamburg, Berlin-Brandenburg and Leipzig-Halle.

For public sector employees, the union is seeking a pay rise of around 350 euros per month, three additional days off, and bonuses for working unfavourable and burdensome hours. In addition, Ver.di is demanding a 200 euro monthly increase in the wages of trainees and interns.

For air security employees, the union is demanding improved health and safety protection at work, and 30 days’ holiday and additional days off for shift work.

teleSUR/ JF

Sources: Xinhua – EFE

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