Striking German ATC-controllers during Soccer World Cup?
 

The usually well informed Spiegel runs an article on its website with the title: “Striking ATC-controllers during Soccer World Cup?”

http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/0,1518,407826,00.html (sorry, German only)

“A strike was more than likely, according to a member of the German ATC-union after talks in the Federal Ministry of Traffic at the end of last week.”

“Worst case is said to be a complete paralysis of air traffic right on time for the Soccer World Cup at the beginning of June.”

Reason given is a dispute over a new law that would allow non-government-bonded outside (not necessarily foreign) engineers to do maintenance on German ATC equipment. The union fears that this law would open the flood gates to allow part-timers into the whole ATC system. Apparently, the federal government’s own “Deutsche Flugsicherung” (German ATC) already started a subsidiary, “The Tower Company”, for the purpose of employing ATC-controllers from, among others, Eastern Europe.

That is in addition to potential visitors possibly having to deal with overflowing garbage cans, closed physicians’ practices, etc.

I am just the messenger here, so I will duck and let the xenophobic shots go over my head…

There are strong rumours that it might not only be German ATC. And I'm not talking about the French here!

well who then?

GHE, not all German airspace is controlled by German based ATC units. Perhaps there lies a clue.......?

Would these strikes be taking place about 3pm local time on days when Germany are playing?
If so, at least they won't continue into the knockout stages....

Depends who's going to be knocked out - the managers or the experts .

I kind of wonder why this topic was moved here.
Even reading it twice, I don't exactly see it as the view or question of a passenger.

Rather, I'd see it as something affecting what professional pilots do on the job, which would put it back into the forum where it had been before.

Alternatively, "ATC Issues" would also be great for it.

But Passengers and SLF? Please.

Regards,

Robert