BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Numerous participants in the warning strike gathered at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport (BER) early Wednesday morning. The Verdi trade union had called on employees of the airport company, ground handling services and aviation security to stop work for an entire day. In the morning, the strikers gathered in front of the terminal building from 8:00 am.

Meanwhile, passenger traffic at BER was at a standstill. The halls were empty. Only sporadic passengers arrived who had not heard about the cancellations in time or been informed by their airlines. Originally, 300 takeoffs and landings with 35,000 passengers were planned for Wednesday. All flights were displayed as canceled on the information boards.

With the warning strike, Verdi wants to increase the pressure on the employer side before the next negotiations on January 30 (ground services) and February 8 (airport company). In both negotiations, the union is demanding 500 euros more per month with a term of the collective agreement of one year. Among other things, the employers want longer contract terms. A one-time payment of up to 2,000 euros was offered for employees of the airport company. However, Verdi is counting on increases that are also reflected in the tables in the long term./nif/DP/stk