Closed for Takeoff
February 24, 2009
The strike, which started at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, completely shut down the Tegel and Schoenefeld airports in Berlin. The strikes are expected to last until 9:30 a.m.
As airport firefighters were among the striking workers, no planes could take off or land, airport spokesman Eberhard Eli told Associated Press news agency.
Workers want more money
Workers are asking for an 8 percent pay increase, according to the ver.di employees union. Berlin airports say they offered a 2.6-percent raise combined with a 1,250-euro ($1,593) one-time payment that would equal an overall increase of 4.2 percent.
A similar strike by ver.di caused cancellations earlier this month as it took safety and fire crews off the job. Verdi had warned that the strikes would cause a major disruption to air traffic in Berlin, which has the country's third largest number of air passengers in Germany, after Frankfurt and Munich.
Author: Trinity Hartman (dpa/afp/reuters)
Editor: Nick Amies