Lufthansa invites unions for talks ahead of planned strike

Lufthansa said its CE Carsten Spohr had invited representatives of three unions for talks on a wage dispute that threatens to ground the airline’s German fleet for 48 hours from late Wednesday. The three unions - Ufo, Verdi and CU - are locked in a dispute over pay and conditions for cabin staff as well as over legal recognition of the Ufo union’s status. Earlier Tuesday, Lufthansa sought to prevent the strike via legal action. But Lufthansa said Spohr wanted discussions with the unions and invited them for talks at 6 p.m. (1700 GMT) on Wednesday evening. “The situation in the cabins, which threatens to lead to another labor dispute this week is fair neither to our colleagues nor to our customers,” Spohr said. “A solution can only lie in dialogue.”<br/>