300 Flights Cancelled at Hamburg Airport as Strike Begins Early

Photo : AP

Nearly 300 flights were canceled at Hamburg Airport on Sunday after airport workers went on strike. This was a surprise move, and the union, Verdi, did not warn anyone about it. The strike started after the first 10 flights of the day. Because of this, 144 flights that were supposed to arrive and 139 flights that were supposed to leave were canceled. This caused problems for more than 40,000 passengers.

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Verdi represents workers at the airport and other public sector jobs. The union wants a wage increase of 8% or at least 350 euros more each month. They also want bigger bonuses and more time off. But the employers say they cannot afford to pay what the workers are asking for.

The workers decided to go on strike unexpectedly to make sure it would have a big impact. A union spokesperson said this was done to push employers to make a better offer. They explained that the strike had to happen quickly to make it more effective.

Hamburg Airport said this strike was unfair. They said it caused problems for many travelers who had nothing to do with the argument. The airport spokesperson said, "Two rounds of strikes already. This is too much and unfair to travelers."

This strike is part of a bigger plan. Verdi is also planning strikes at other airports across Germany on Monday. Other airports like Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, and Berlin will be affected too.

The strike comes at a bad time since many people are traveling for the local spring holidays. It will make it harder for families to travel as their flights might be canceled or delayed.

Verdi has already had several strikes in the past month. They are trying to force employers to give in to their demands. But the two sides still do not agree on the terms. The strike might continue if no agreement is made soon.