Vienna — A two-hour work stoppage at Austrian Airlines on Tuesday disrupted flights, with delays and cancellations expected to last into the afternoon.
About 1,200 unionized workers unanimously agreed to walk off the job, according to the Vida labour union. The brief strike comes as part of a dispute over wage increases for cabin crew at the airline, which is a subsidiary of the German Lufthansa Group.
Austrian Airlines agreed in October to increase wages by 7%. But the union is now demanding larger pay hikes for crew in light of high inflation.
The airline reversed a temporary 15% wage cut negotiated with workers during the height of the coronavirus pandemic at the end of 2022, earlier than originally scheduled. Management at the airline said that workers will also receive cost-of-living bonuses of up to €3,000 (about $3,200).
In 2022, Austrian Airlines reported adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of €3 million after recording a loss of €249 million in 2021.
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