HAMBURG (dpa-AFX) - A new wave of warning strikes by aviation security workers began at Hamburg Airport on Wednesday evening. They have been on strike since 10 p.m., a spokesman for the Verdi union confirmed. The warning strike is to last 24 hours. The fifth-largest airport has already announced that all take-offs with passengers have been canceled for Thursday. This affects 141 planned departures. It can also be assumed that the after-effects of the strike will still be felt on Friday - and therefore at the start of the vacation season in Hamburg. Planes were able to land on Thursday. "Nevertheless, arrivals at Hamburg Airport may also be canceled and significantly delayed throughout the day due to the Verdi strike," it said.

According to Verdi, the all-day strike by aviation security staff on Thursday will also gradually affect Stuttgart, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, Koln and Berlin Airports in addition to Hamburg over the course of the night. Verdi has also called for warning strikes by aviation security staff on Friday. The five airports of Hanover, Dortmund, Weeze, Dresden and Leipzig are to be hit one after the other.

The collective bargaining in aviation security concerns the working conditions of around 25,000 employees of private security service providers. They check passengers, staff and baggage at the entrances to the security area on behalf of the Federal Police. Five rounds of negotiations have so far failed to produce a result. Verdi is demanding an hourly wage increase of 2.80 euros over a period of twelve months with overtime bonuses starting more quickly from the first hour of overtime. The aviation security companies organized in the BDLS association have, according to their own information, offered 2.70 euros in three stages for a term of 24 months. A sixth negotiation is scheduled for March 20./kf/DP/jha