Lufthansa has offered arbitration to striking pilots as it aims to end long-running disputes that cost the airline €232 million last year.
Speaking at a shareholders meeting yesterday, which started with a minutes silence for the victims of the Germanwings crash, CEO Carsten Spohr said the company “was reaching out” to the Vereinigung Cockpit union (VC) over a range of outstanding pay issues.
He said the crash had “changed us and the scars it has left on our company will remain forever.”
Pilots went on strike more than 10 times last year over Lufthansa’s plans to phase out its early retirement scheme that currently sees pilots retire at 55 and retain around 60% of their pay until they reach the state pension age.
Bettina Volkens, managing director for legal affairs and HR of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said: “We would have liked to negotiate on open issues with VC before submitting these complex issues to an arbitrator. In order to finally settle this long wage dispute, we are willing to take this step.”
Arbitration would guarantee there are no further strikes in the coming months because the pilots would not be permitted to walk off the job once a mediation process is under way.