Ground staff at Berlin airports extend strike

Berlin’s airports look set to remain paralysed today after ground staff extended a strike, stepping up pressure in a dispute over pay that has already caused the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights since Friday.Ground staff at Berlin’s two airports started their latest walkout yesterday morning after a break over the weekend.The trade union Verdi said earlier the strike would be extended until tomorrow morning.The walkout at Tegel and Schoenefeld airports – which are served by airlines including Air Berlin, Ryanair, easyJet and Lufthansa – led to the cancellation of 660 flights yesterday, virtually all the flights due to use the airports.On Friday, 670 flights were cancelled.Airlines were bracing for similar levels of cancellations today.EasyJet said it was cancelling 49 flights and diverting others to Dresden airport.Air Berlin will transfer some passengers to Hanover to catch flights.Berlin Mayor Michael Mueller was among those whose travel plans were disrupted, having to fly to Moscow via Dresden instead.Air Berlin said the strike was costing the industry millions of euros a day, but that it was too early to give an exact figure.The strike is due to end tomorrow at 0500 CET (0400 GMT).While ground staff are ready to engage in talks to end the strike if Berlin airports make an improved offer, they could also decide to extend the walkout if no new offer is made.“It may well be that early tomorrow morning we say we will continue the strike on Wednesday. It’s a 50-50 chance,” Enrico Ruemker, who heads the strikes for Verdi, told Reuters.Ground staff, whose roles include check-in, loading and unloading planes and directing aircraft on the tarmac, are employed by companies including WISAG, Aeroground, Ground Solution, AHS and Swissport Berlin.A spokesman for the employers said that the strike was irresponsible. “It won’t help solve the row,” he said.The union wants an increase in pay for ground staff to €12 ($12.80) an hour from about €11 as part of a one-year collective agreement.Management first offered about 10 euro cents more an hour over four years and then improved that offer to an 8% increase over three years.