BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - The trade union Verdi and employers are continuing to wrestle over a wage compromise for aviation security personnel at German airports. Negotiations are expected to continue until Friday, a spokeswoman for the Federal Association of Aviation Security Companies (BDLS) said on Thursday. The collective bargaining parties have been negotiating the working conditions of around 25,000 employees of private security service providers in the sixth round since Wednesday and had also blocked Thursday for this purpose.

Aviation security personnel check passengers, staff and baggage at the entrances to the security area on behalf of the Federal Police. Verdi is demanding an hourly wage increase of 2.80 euros over a period of twelve months, with overtime bonuses starting more quickly from the first hour of overtime. According to the companies, they have offered an increase of 2.70 euros per hour in three stages over a period of 24 months. The surcharges for overtime have been particularly controversial recently.

According to estimates by the airport association ADV, a total of 662 flights were canceled last week during two days of warning strikes by aviation security staff at several German airports, affecting more than 100,000 passengers. During the first wave of warning strikes on February 1, an estimated 1100 flights were canceled./mar/DP/jha