German union Verdi cancels pay deal for Lufthansa ground staff

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – German trade union Verdi said on Wednesday it had terminated the collective pay agreement for ground staff at the country’s flag carrier Lufthansa from June 30, citing high energy prices and an overall increase in costs of living.

“After two years of crisis contributions by employees and the persistently high inflation rate, there is a great need to catch up,” Verdi Vice Chair Christine Behle said in a statement.

In the coming weeks, the companies of the Lufthansa Group will discuss the demands for the upcoming round of collective pay agreements, Verdi said.

(Reporting by Zuzanna Szymanska, editing by Kirsti Knolle)