BERLIN (Reuters) -German pilots’ union VC said on Tuesday that a clear majority of members, 95%, voted in favour of strikes at Lufthansa Group’s leisure subsidiary Discover, with the aim of adding pressure in negotiations for a first collective agreement.
Discover Airlines, formed in 2021, is the Lufthansa Group’s leisure airline focused on flying travellers from Frankfurt and Munich to holiday destinations, according to its website. There are some 400 pilots at Discover, with a fleet of 24 planes.
“The ballot is a clear signal to the employer to stop clinging to preconditions and instead to finally submit an offer that we believe is negotiable in order to enable a return to the negotiating table,” Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) said in a statement.
The union added that the committees would now discuss next moves internally.
“We regret that VC broke off talks and its decision to escalate further instead of returning to the negotiating table,” said Discover.
“Discover Airlines’ offer to continue the talks for a first collective agreement still stands,” added the airline.
VC held a five-hour strike at Discover in December ahead of the Christmas holidays. The walkout affected 16 flights planned for the period, according to a spokesperson for the airline.
(Reporting by Ilona Wissenbach, Writing by Miranda Murray; Editing by Rachel More and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)