Lufthansa cabin crew agree to stop strikes, talk

FRANKFURT, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Lufthansa said cabin crew have agreed to hold off industrial action for the next few months after management and trade union UFO made headway in talks to resolve a dispute over issues including pay.

"We are glad that UFO has given priority to talks rather than strikes," Lufthansa executive board member Bettina Volkens said in a statement.

"The parties agreed on partial solutions to all points of conflict and have set out a mechanism according to which further talks will be held and which rules out strikes in the coming months," UFO said in a separate statement on Friday.

"That gives us time to come to an overall solution for the points under negotiation," it added.

Lufthansa is squabbling with employees on multiple fronts as it tries to cut costs to compete with low-cost carriers including Ryanair and easyJet as well as with Gulf carriers such as Emirates.

Pilots at its budget carrier Germanwings commenced a two-day strike on Thursday to put pressure on management in a row over an early retirement scheme.

UFO is, among other, demanding 8 percent more pay for its members in negotiations that started in April. It has also agreed to mediation with Lufthansa in a separate row over retirement benefits. (Reporting by Peter Maushagen; Writing by Maria Sheahan and Ludwig Burger; Editing by Georgina Prodhan)