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German airport strikes continue

February 21, 2013

Security staff have walked off the job in Düsseldorf and Cologne Bonn airport as strikes by Germany’s transit security union continue. The dispute has inconvenienced travelers for a week.

https://p.dw.com/p/17iXt
Passagiere warten am 21.02.2013 am Flughafen in Düsseldorf (Nordrhein-Westfalen) auf ihren Flug. Die Frühschicht der Sicherheitsleute an den Flughäfen in Düsseldorf und Köln/Bonn streikt an diesem Donnerstag. Am größten Flughafen Nordrhein-Westfalens in Düsseldorf zeigten die Anzeigetafeln am Morgen bereits zahlreiche gestrichene Flüge ins In- und Ausland an. 50 Abflüge und 22 Ankünfte mussten annulliert werden. Foto: Daniel Naupold/dpa
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

Security staff strikes resumed at Düsseldorf airport and Cologne Bonn airport in Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia state on Thursday prompting travel disruptions.

Starting at 3:30a.m. (0230 UTC) in Düsseldorf and 4:00a.m. (0300 UTC) at Cologne Bonn airport, security staff walked off the job. Both strikes are expected to last till 10 a.m. (0900 UTC).

As a result, 50 departures and 22 arrivals were canceled in Düsseldorf, according to the airport and at Cologne/Bonn a spokesperson said twelve departures were canceled.

The strikes follow Wednesday's walkout in Hamburg airport where 140 flights were canceled.

The strikes are just the latest in a series of work stoppages called by Verdi, Germany's biggest services-sector union, to back up its call for improved security personnel wages. The union argues that the majority of workers who play a key role in protecting passengers are underpaid.

Verdi announced that labor representatives would meet with management on Thursday to try to resolve the dispute. Still, the strikes could continue through Friday.

hc/ccp (AFP, dpa)