Strike by air traffic controllers would be illegal (28 March 2006)


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Langen, 28 March 2006

Strike by air traffic controllers during World Cup would be illegal

Privatisation of DFS does not pose safety risks
A strike by German air traffic controllers at the time of the World Cup would be illegal, according to DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH. At present, no collective agreement at DFS has been cancelled, which means that employees are still legally obliged to keep the "industrial peace".

Unlike the controllers’ association (GdF), DFS does not see any risk whatsoever that the planned privatisation of the air navigation services would compromise air safety. On the contrary, the national supervisory authority, which is currently being set up as a mandatory institution as part of the capital privatisation of DFS, will be an additional instrument to ensure the high safety standard is maintained. Safety is the most important asset of DFS, and no investor would destroy this asset and, thus, their main source of revenue.

At its press conference on Tuesday, the GdF threatened to strike as a protest against the planned privatisation of DFS. DFS is appealing to the GdF to adhere to existing legislation and refrain from stirring up trouble with such threats and from calling on its members to take part in illegal industrial action.

DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH is a State-owned company under private law and has 5,200 employees. DFS ensures the safe and punctual handling of flights. Staff coordinate around 10,000 aircraft movements in German airspace every day, and more than three million movements every year. With this large number of flights, Germany has the highest traffic volume in Europe. DFS operates control centres in Langen, Bremen, Karlsruhe and Munich. In addition, DFS is represented in the Eurocontrol Centre in Maastricht, the Netherlands, and in the control towers of the 16 international German airports. DFS provides training and consultancy services around the world and develops and sells air traffic control, surveillance and navigation systems. The company's portfolio also comprises flight-relevant data, aeronautical publications and aeronautical information services. DFS has the following business units: Control Centre, Tower, Aeronautical Solutions and Aeronautical Information Management.


15/01/2009	PRINT