mrs. strikemama worked in germany under german work rules and represented by a german union. their contract and their contract negotiators were big, mean and iron-clad. maybe you could hire some of the negotiators from the steelworkers' union. those guys looked really mean (and they managed to nearly bring the country to its knees). or maybe those guys from the public employees union, they were REALLY deadly!
welcome to the real word, lufthansa colleagues. hold the line!! it will get a lot tougher before you get what you really deserve from the management of the "airline of the year." the most important thing is to stick together. don't let management find your weakest link and pull you apart.
good luck!!