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The United Services Union (ver.di) is calling on employees in the aviation security sector at German airports to hold an all-day warning strike on March 10. The aim of the strikes is to increase the pressure on the employers of the Federal Association of Aviation Security Companies (BDLS) in the stalled collective bargaining negotiations and to improve the working conditions of the approximately 25,000 employees.
Airport operations affected by strikes
Employees in the areas of passenger control, personnel, goods and cargo control as well as in service areas have been called upon to stop work. The strikes begin on the night of March 9th to 10th and end on the night of March 11th. The airports affected are in Hamburg, Bremen, Hanover, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Weeze, Dortmund, Cologne/Bonn, Leipzig/Halle, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden and Munich. At some locations, the strikes will be combined with previously announced warning strikes in the public sector, which could lead to significant disruption.
Negotiation background and demands
In the negotiations with the BDLS, ver.di is demanding improvements in occupational health and safety, 30 days of annual leave and additional leave for shift work. Other demands include an increase in the annual bonus, the freedom to choose a doctor for mandatory regular aptitude tests, a limit on the duration of employment contracts and the introduction of overtime bonuses with a lower threshold. In the last round of negotiations at the end of February 2025, the employers announced that they were not prepared to meet the demands, which prompted Ver.di to take strike action.
Strikes as a means of pressure
The announced warning strikes are intended to increase the pressure on employers in order to get the deadlocked negotiations moving. Wolfgang Pieper, negotiator for ver.di, said that the employees wanted to use the strikes to underline the seriousness of their demands. The union is calling on employers to continue the negotiations constructively in order to reach an agreement before Easter and avoid further strikes.
Future of negotiations
The next round of negotiations is scheduled for March 26/27. ver.di hopes that the talks will continue productively and lead to a positive outcome that meets the employees’ long-standing demands. A failure of the negotiations would further escalate the strike action and could lead to a significant disruption of airport operations in Germany.
Since its foundation, the United Services Union ver.di has been representing the interests of over two million employees in various sectors. In the area of aviation security, ver.di is particularly committed to improving working conditions and promoting the rights of employees through collective bargaining.
New collective agreement for aviation security forces demanded
The union ver.di has been negotiating with the Federal Association of Aviation Security Companies (BDLS) for months to conclude a new collective agreement and improve the working conditions of aviation security personnel. ver.di is aiming to shorten the term of employment contracts and is calling on employers to have medical examinations carried out by trustworthy doctors.
Background of the collective bargaining negotiations
ver.di and the Federal Association of Aviation Security Companies have been in talks for some time about a new collective agreement to update the conditions that have been in place since 2013. The aim is to sustainably improve the working conditions of aviation security professionals. Emphasis is placed on the need for good working conditions, as these are seen as a basic prerequisite for the quality of security and service provision.
Demands for better working conditions
The union pointed out that factors such as oxygen levels and noise levels in airport buildings could affect the quality of the security guards’ work. ver.di argued that regular physical and mental examinations were necessary to ensure that the professionals were able to meet their professional requirements. They stressed the importance of the freedom to choose a doctor, while employers wanted to make the decision about the examining doctor.
Problem of fixed-term employment contracts
Currently, many security guards are only hired on a 24-month contract, which ver.di sees as problematic. ver.di is calling for a reduction in the number of temporary contracts and for employees to be given clarity about their future employment at an early stage. The association criticizes the fact that companies often train new staff who are then also hired on a temporary basis, without considering the long-term structure of the workforce.
Call for fair training costs
ver.di points out that the training costs of security forces are often covered by training vouchers, which ultimately affect social security contributions. They are calling for a fairer distribution of costs and more transparency and responsibility on the part of employers with regard to the training of employees through the use of such vouchers.
ver.di is one of the largest trade unions in Germany and has been fighting for the rights of workers in various sectors for years. Its campaigns aim to improve working conditions and enforce fair collective agreements. ver.di is committed to a social and fair working world and strives for cooperative solutions in collective bargaining.
