BERLIN/FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - After several rounds of warning strikes at airports, arbitration for the 25,000 employees of private security service providers will begin this Friday (1 p.m.). At a secret location, former Bremen State Councillor for Finance Hans-Henning Lühr (SPD) will attempt to reconcile the differing positions of the trade union Verdi and the Federal Association of Aviation Security Companies (BDLS). The parties have initially set themselves a deadline of midnight on Sunday.

Verdi has undertaken not to call for any further work stoppages until the end of the arbitration process. According to chief negotiator Wolfgang Pieper, a number of issues such as salary increases, duration, payment points and bonuses for trainers and managers are still unresolved. The union is demanding overtime bonuses "from the first hour of overtime". In addition, the hourly wage should increase by at least 2.80 euros for a collective agreement term of 12 months. According to the employers, they have recently offered a three-stage increase of 3.25 euros in hourly pay, albeit for a term of 24 months./ceb/DP/jha