After long and intense negotiations, trade unions OGBL and LCGB were not able to come to an agreement with Luxair about acknowledging the cutbacks affecting Luxair crews during the pandemic.

The Independent Luxembourg Trade Union Confederation (OGBL) and the Luxembourg Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (LCGB) confirmed that the negotiations with Luxair continued for 14 intense months, without success. Although all was done correctly and respectfully, they could not come to an agreement. The only remaining option is working out a solution at the conciliation, assert the unions.

The collective agreement concerns 2,000 people, including pilots, cabin crew, as well as ground staff.

Paul de Araujo from LCGB emphasises that the employees had to make considerable concessions during the pandemic, and it is now Luxair's turn to acknowledge their efforts and compromises:

"A salary freeze was requested by Luxair, which the staff agreed to – to help the company – these salaries should be returned to the employees, in addition to a recalculation of salary criteria based on the staff's experience."

LCGB highlights that Luxair's business has picked up again and most flights are fully booked, which means it is the right time to start recognising their crews' efforts. Nevertheless, the management's suggestion did not fit the extent that the unions had envisaged.

Similarly to other companies, Luxair faces a lack of recruitable workforce, particularly pilots. Hence why it is all the more important to render the labour conditions at the Luxembourgish airline more attractive to potential new employees, the unionist Paul de Araujo highlights in an RTL interview.

In a second phase, unionised action is a possibility, he adds. However, the main priority is to reach an agreement at the conciliation.

The company themselves have not yet issued a statement about the failed negotiations.