Germans threaten air traffic strike

German air traffic controllers have threatened to strike tomorrow, but their employers are seeking to block the action with a court injunction.

The GdF union called for a walkout between 6am and noon (5am-11am Irish time), declaring that the latest pay offer from employers was unacceptable and there is “no alternative to a strike.”

A similar walk-out was blocked by a court injunction last week. The national air traffic authority’s case is due in a Frankfurt court later.

GdF has been seeking a one-year wage deal with a 6.5% pay increase and changes to the organisational structure. It has rejected the air traffic authority’s offer of a lower raise over a longer period.

The union represents nearly 6,000 employees of the air traffic authority.

A strike could disrupt hundreds of flights and cause headaches for transfer passengers.