Category Archives: Aviation

FTTUB’s Antonia Panayotova chosen for leadership position at ETF

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foto-toni

At the annual conference of ETF’s Civil Aviation section she was elected vice chairman for the next four years.

Antonia Panayotova was elected deputy chairman of the Civil Aviation section at the European Transport Federation (ETF) during the reporting-election conference of the organization held on 1 December 2016 in Berlin. This is yet another success for the Federation of Transport Trade Unions in Bulgaria (FTTUB) in ETF, giving a high evaluation of the work of its leaders and experts. Antonia Panayotova takes the vice-presidency over from FTTUB President Ekaterina Yordanova, Прочети още →

ITF and ETF press Lufthansa Technik over negotiations

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November 23, 2016

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Ver.di members call on LHT to negotiate

The letter was sent on behalf of the LHT union network on 18 November and appeals to LHT chair and chief executive Carsten Spohr to intervene and ensure that the company resumes negotiations for a full and fair settlement of issues concerning workers in the wide body aircraft maintenance department.

ITF civil aviation section secretary Gabriel Mocho Rodriguez and ETF civil aviation section secretary Francois Ballestero wrote: “According to the information we have received, ver.di has been negotiating in good faith with your company on amendments of the current collective agreements. Ver.di has been willing to lower workers’ standards regarding the future of base maintenance for wide body aircraft, including money, working time and qualifications, in return for an agreement which would grant job security for the next five years.”

They expressed their disappointment that LHT is in return demanding a job security period of only two years. In the interest of co-operative, well-developed industrial relations, they urged Mr Spohr’s intervention.

“Such an action would demonstrate a commitment to good labour relations in Lufthansa Technik not only in Germany but all around the world, in order to avoid an escalation of conflicts and would be an important contribution to a positive and stable future for the company in Germany and worldwide”, they stated.

Ver.di told the ITF that its members were enthusiastically circulating the letter among the workforce.

ETF Press release: EU-QATAR DEAL MUST INCLUDE AVIATION WORKERS’ RIGHTS

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Brussels, 14 September 2016

On the eve of the first negotiation round between the EU and Qatar on a horizontal air transport agreement taking place from 19 – 21 September 2016 in Doha, the ETF reiterates its demand that such type of agreements must contribute to a social progress for all aviation workers. Further liberalisation of air transport without proper safeguards can seriously damage the European aviation sector. Прочети още →

Encouraging relaunch of dialogue

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On September 14, 2016 an expert team of the Federation of Transport Trade Unions in Bulgaria (FTTUB), led by its President Ekaterina Yordanova, held an official meeting with the management of the DIRECTORATE GENERAL “Civil Aviation Administration”.

The meeting which was held on the initiative of FTTUB and which had originally been meant to be formal for introduction to the newly appointed Director General of DG “CAA” Ivan Ivanov, managed to turn into a vivid discussion. Прочети още →

EU AVIATION SOCIAL DIALOGUE ADOPTS ITS WORK PROGRAMME 2016 – 2018

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On Thursday 16 June 2016, the EU Social Partners in aviation met for the yearly plenary meeting of the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee. The Committee is currently chaired by Michael Collins (ETF, workers’ side) and the Vice Chair is Emmanuel Jahan (AEA, employers’ side). During this meeting, the Committee discussed and adopted its work programme for 2016 – 2018.13466240_1209617989079175_7788149660345680172_n

In terms of general priorities, it has been decided to strengthen the social agenda and ensure fair aviation, at EU and global levels, in the context of the Commission’s “Aviation Strategy for Europe”, to follow and support the consensus points and actions agreed at the ILO Global Dialogue Forum in 2013, start dialogue on violence at work and air quality in aviation. Прочети още →

ETF DEMANDS SOCIAL DIALOGUE IN AVIAPARTNER

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On Tuesday 14 June 2016, members of the European Transport Workers’ Federation’s
(ETF) Ground Staff Committee, including delegates from Belgian ETF affiliates ACV
Transcom, BTB and CGSLB, gathered in front of Aviapartner’s headquarters in
Zaventem to denounce the lack of social dialogue within the company and to urge the
management to meet its legal obligations in that regard.
On numerous occasions the ETF and its affiliated unions approached Aviapartner’s top
management to address the company’s deplorable industrial relations. Aviapartner
management neither informs nor consults the unions on the company’s economic
situation, structure of employment or decisions that most likely lead to substantial
changes. It is a clear violation of their legal obligation under EU legislation. In some
countries local management has gone as far as organising direct information sessions
for individual workers thereby circumventing the role of workers’ representatives.
Robert Hengster, Chair of the ETF Ground Staff Committee, commented: “It is a
disgrace to see that a multinational company operating in several EU member states
deliberately ignores its information and consultation obligations vis-à-vis its staff. We
call upon Aviapartner to live up to the company values that they publicly advertise
(strong team spirit, dialogue, mutual respect, etc).” Прочети още →

“NO” to Sofia Airport concession

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On June 6, 2016 at the Museum of Aviation at Sofia Airport was held a meeting of the employees, organized by the Trade unions affiliated to FTTUB and “Podkrepa”. There was a single point on the agenda – Discussion of the upcoming concession of Sofia airport. Ekaterina Yordanova, President of FTTUB and an expert team of the Union also attended the meeting as guests.

The social tension at Sofia Airport is palpable and it has been constantly growing with regard to the formal decision of its concession, officially announced by the Government on 17 May 2016 and especially with the formal opening of the procedure on 2 June 2016 – when the documentation which is already available to potential candidates has been published on the site of the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications.

Very emotional speeches sounded at the meeting. Employees heatedly discussed various ways in which they could legitimately express their opposition to the idea of granting a concession of a profitable venture, which is one of the most valuable state assets and is also one of strategic importance.

We remind that at the trade union meeting in November 2015, Ekaterina Yordanova expressed FTTUB principal disagreement with the idea of funding an indebted enterprise with the profits from a successful and gainful venture and declared their determination to defend workers’ jobs and the future of the company. FTTUB firmly believes that the problems of Bulgarian State Railways accumulated during the management of a number of governments, should be a commitment of the state and all political forces rather than seeking resources only in the transport system to deal with them.

It was decided that  another letter should be written on behalf of the trade unions to the Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Minister of Transport.

Along with that, a subsequent meeting has been scheduled for June 20, at which to plan the specifics of various protest events and to announce a date for their begging.

Employees unanimously united against the concession of Sofia Airport, especially at a time when there are only three installments of the loan from the European Investment Bank left and the Airport has already fully repaid the loan to the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.

 

Airport workers unite for justice and safety tomorrow

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May 31, 2016

Airport workers will unite across borders tomorrow, 1 June, to deliver the message that while airlines and airports are getting richer their workers are being paid less, worked more, and having their job security torn away. Workers will be flying banners and leafleting in over 30 airports around the world to deliver their message – supported by a new research report – to the public and to the members of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), whose AGM begins tomorrow.

The research (http://goo.gl/XB4Uy7) shows that although the global airline industry is expected to make record profits of USD36.3 billion this year, airlines have created a race to the bottom, putting airport workers, safety and the quality of services under pressure.

The report is being released by a new union group called Airports United, which is determined to secure economic justice and job security for those helping build the industry’s success.

International Transport Workers’ Federation general secretary Steve Cotton applauded the new group. He stated: “Airports United is made up of the workers who are the backbone of this successful world industry. In return they’re being worked harder, for less, without job security. Прочети още →