Lufthansa pilots started their strike last night.

After a successful first day of strike Lufthansa applied for a court injunction. The german judge forced both sides to go to the negotiation table to come up with a solution by Mar. 8th. This was what the pilots union had tried over 6 times within the past year. The pilots unions of United, Continental, Air Canada, Swiss and Austrian sent representatives to stand beside us to bring our point across. Many airlines as well as other companies world wide have been fighting against the out sourcing frenzy by the management. Lufthansa´s flight attendant union is considering a strike with their 16,000 members as once again the management was unwilling to talk as the end of the current contract approaches. This pilot strike was the second strike inthe pilot union's 40 year history. Almost all lufthansa planes remained on the ground on monday. The 25-30 percent of the flights, that opperated under the Lufthansa name were either operated by Lufthansa Cityline (not part of the lufthansa pilot contract group) or by other airlines under code share. The pilot´s union is willing to settle for a "0" percent pay raise, as long as the outsourcing doesn´t take away the original lufthansa pilot jobs.
In the past year all Lufthansa cargo staff had to take a pay cut with involuntary part time and parked 20% of their MD-11 fleet while that "saved money" was and is being used to expand two "joint venture" airlines Jade Cargo and Aerologic. The past contracts , which we want to keep in it´s basic form has given Lufthansa one record year after another and has made Lufthansa to one of the most profitable airlines in the world.
" If it ain´t broken, don´t fix it!!!"
Hopefully the negotiations will be a clear sign to the management of Lufthansa as well as other airlines and companies in general, that the workers are a big part of the company and cannot be shuffled around with every new restructuring plan.

That is in deed an honorable goal and a goal that should stand above all others. Something to fight for for many many good reasons. I just hope that those economists finally realize that its not all about outsourcing and jobcuts. This just isn't the right way.
Again you are absolutely right with what you are saying. Collegues of mine that work or have learned at Lufthansa Technical Training will not be contracted by Lufthansa any longer. What they can get is a contract at AviationPower. Whats up with all those time-work-companies spreading like mushrooms?! The result is far less salary and none of the bonus rights (cheaper flights, public transport benefits, etc)former employees usually had. They even have to pay for the parking lot in the Lufthansa car garage!!! Those of which are now coming to an end of vocational training don't even know if they'll be employed by either of them in the future. What has happened to the glorious LH in the past?! Is that called corporate identity? Why work as a technician for LHT if you don't get the money one would deserve for his responsibilities? Hard to think of but it has become true. Other industries with lesser needs for qualification and less responsibility pay higher wages! This is not only bad for LH but also for the entire aviation industrie as in the end everyone will earn less and the consequence will be an unsatisfied, overworked employee making mistakes. The completely wrong sign one would want to spread out to the world.

Way to go Tri! Fight for your and our rights and safety!