FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Arbitration began on Friday in the wage dispute for private aviation security personnel at airports. Under the guidance of former Bremen State Councillor for Finance Hans-Henning Lühr (SPD), the trade union Verdi and the Federal Association of Aviation Security Companies (BDLS) are looking for a solution for around 25,000 employees. The parties have initially set a deadline of midnight on Sunday for the talks near Frankfurt Airport. Verdi has undertaken not to call for any further work stoppages until the end of the arbitration process.

According to the union, even after six rounds of negotiations, all details of a collective agreement are still unresolved. The main sticking point still appears to be overtime bonuses, which Verdi is demanding "from the first hour of overtime". According to the BDLS negotiator Frank Haindl, the companies have made concessions to the employees on the issue of overtime bonuses starting earlier.

According to the employers, they have recently offered a three-stage increase in hourly wages of 3.25 euros over a period of 24 months. Verdi had demanded an hourly wage increase of 2.80 euros, but for a term of 12 months. The expected recommendation by arbitrator Lühr is not binding for either side. The parties have agreed not to disclose any interim results./ceb/DP/stw