In the context of the negotiations for a new collective agreement at Cargolux, the OGBL and the LCGB decided on September 8, 2023 not to conciliate, paving the way for industrial action.

A large majority of the members of both unions formally rejected Cargolux’s latest proposal in a ballot held in the second half of July 2023. After 27 negotiating sessions and 5 meetings with the National Conciliation Service (Office National de Conciliation – ONC), no agreement was reached between Cargolux management and the unions at the last ONC meeting on August 31st.

In view of this situation, and taking into account that the legal deadline of 16 weeks for the conciliation procedure expired on July 14, 2023, the two unions declared on September 8, 2023 that the dispute over the Cargolux collective work agreement would not be settled by conciliation.

The main reasons for the failure of the collective bargaining negotiations are as followsthe employer’s

• proposal for a 4% salary increase over 4 years, which is insufficient in view of the excellent results achieved in recent years and inflation;
• the unions’ demand that the collective agreement include an inflation guarantee to ensure equal treatment for all Cargolux employees in the event of a change in the legislation on automatic wage indexation (capping or similar measures, which in this case would disrupt wage structures and collective bargaining);
• management refuses to negotiate a new wage scale for ground staff, despite an agreement to do so in the last collective agreement;
• with regard to telework, management wants to impose an internal regulation that is deterioration of the legal provisions on co-determination.

In view of these differences, and taking into account the decision not to mediate, the OGBL and LCGB have received a mandate from their members to organize a strike at Cargolux from 14 September. A press conference has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on that day in front of the entrance to the Cargolux headquarters.

To resolve this social conflict, the OGBL and LCGB call on the Cargolux management to assume its responsibilities towards the company’s employees. For the unions, the collective agreement must guarantee attractive wages and thus ensure the attractiveness of Cargolux.

OGBL and LCGB press release,
September 13, 2023