Bucerius Law School excursion: Insights into Germany's airspace!

Bucerius Law School excursion: Insights into Germany's airspace!

From June 30 to July 1, 2025, the Bucerius Law School conducted an excursion for the labor law focus area (SPB III) to Frankfurt am Main. Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Matthias Jacobs, the students and scientific staff received in-depth insights into various aspects of German airspace as well as the production of industrial switches.

During the first half of the day, the group had the opportunity to visit the German Air Traffic Control (DFS), which secures and coordinates the airspace over Germany. The participants received an introduction to the company's corporate structure and working time arrangements. A special highlight was the visit to the Area Control Center (ACC) in Langen, where air traffic controllers reported on their experiences. They described the challenges they face in their jobs, including the psychological stress that results from the shift system.

Collective bargaining and changes at DFS

DFS recently reached a collective agreement with the air traffic control union (GdF) after more than 70 days of negotiations in two years. The agreement includes 18 adjusted collective agreements, which contain new regulations for air traffic controllers as well as for operational professions. These measures are part of a comprehensive reform process that is intended to improve employment conditions in air traffic control in the long term. The salaries of the newly hired air traffic controllers will start at a lower salary bracket, while there will be higher salary brackets for existing air traffic controllers and technicians. In addition, more flexible part-time models and personnel deployment planning were introduced.

The tariff increase, which runs from January 2023 to March 2027, provides for gradual increases based on the annual inflation rate. These measures will come into force from January 1, 2025, with the exception of the increases already decided. With around 5,700 employees and around 2,200 air traffic controllers who manage up to 10,000 flights every day, DFS remains essential for safe air traffic in Germany. It operates control centers in Bremen, Karlsruhe, Langen and Munich as well as towers at 15 international airports.

Insights into the practice of labor law

On the afternoon of the first day, the group visited Thomas Ubber's law firm, where they discussed current developments in collective labor law. There was an active exchange about the theory and practice of collective bargaining law, which offered the participants valuable perspectives on the application of the law in practice.

The second day began with a visit to the Siemens switchgear factory, which is one of the largest factories for industrial switchgear in Germany. There, the students had the opportunity to speak with representatives from Siemens' legal and human resources departments. Topics such as company co-determination, collective bargaining agreements and working time recording were discussed in detail.

The excursion concluded with a meeting in the Haus der Wirtschaft at Hessenmetall, where the participants received an insight into the work of association lawyers. They then ended the day with a culinary treat in a traditional inn in Sachsenhausen, where they enjoyed Hessian apple wine and “Handkäs with music”.

The participants would like to thank the hosts for the successful excursion, including German air traffic control, Siemens, Thomas Ubber, Dr. Felicia von Grundherr and the Hamburger Verein für Arbeitrecht e.V. for their financial support and the practical design of the event.

DFS's commitment to collective bargaining shows how important it is to continually review and adapt working conditions in the aviation industry. How dfs.de reports, this development will also have external significance, because DFS remains a central player in German airspace.

For more information about the excursion and current developments in the field of labor law, please visit the Bucerius Law School website law-school.de be resorted to.