Category Archives: Pilots

Aviation strategy for Europe: It is time for the Commission to deliver on social issues!

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Press release from European Transport Workers’ Federation

On Monday 7 December 2015, the European Commission (EC) presented its long-awaited Aviation strategy for Europe. The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), the largest European workers’ representative in civil aviation, agrees on the urgency for a comprehensive strategy integrating social aspects, safety and security, as well as measures to restore fair competition. However, the ETF is dissatisfied by the lack of binding legislative proposals and actions in the social field in the Commission strategy.

Aviation must retain its reputation as the safest mode of transport in Europe. However, the ETF is concerned about the uncritical approach vis-à-vis the so-called new business models, which often involve a lack of industrial relations, questionable forms of employment and outsourcing. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) admitted that precarious and atypical employment may have adverse effects on safety. Прочети още →

EUROPEAN CORPORATE JUST CULTURE DECLARATION

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Safety is of paramount importance to the public but also to the aviation industry.

Safety is not only a legal requirement but also a key contributor to sustainable business. Any entity in aviation has therefore a responsibility to maintain and improve safety. Staff working in the aviation industry, at all levels, have a safety responsibility and are key to a safe system.

A safe aviation system requires events that affect or could affect aviation safety to be reported fully, freely and in a timely manner as needed to facilitate their investigation and the implementation of lessons learnt.

Just Culture lies at the heart of an effective reporting system and such a system is needed in all aviation organisations to maintain and improve aviation safety. Прочети още →

First victory for staff rights at Qatar Airways

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The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) is celebrating the first victory for staff rights at Qatar Airways (QR) after the airline admitted that it has removed its contractual pregnancy and marriage prohibitions. These demanded that anyone becoming pregnant had to notify management, at which point she would be likely to lose her job, and forbade marriage for five years (even after that time permission had to be sought to marry). Прочети още →

ANOTHER VICTORY OVER WIZZ AIR IN ROMANIA: THE DISMISSED CABIN CREW REINSTATED

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After the recent court rulings and the decision of the Romanian National Council for Combating Discrimination, the cabin crew union Sindicatul Aerolimit Professional (SAP) scored another important victory in their fight for workers’ rights: on 16 July 2015, the court has ordered the reinstatement of the cabin crew members dismissed by Wizz Air in the aftermath of setting up a trade union.

The court has considered the termination of employment contracts of all dismissed workers in this case to be unlawful and ordered Wizz Air to reinstate them into their former positions. Furthermore, the company is obliged to repay the workers their salaries from the date of dismissal until the reinstatement. Each plaintiff is also entitled to a compensation of approx. 1,130 EUR. Прочети още →

LO-Denmark: “Thank you for supporting the struggle to obtain better pay and working conditions”

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LO notes that Ryanair is closing its last base in Denmark on 17 July 2015. This means that Ryanair no longer has crew in Denmark working on the very poor working conditions that we have been witnessing. “There will therefore be no secondary action in Danish airports on 18 July. The Danish labour market works and the labour movement has experienced massive support for its defence of decent working conditions”, says Lizette Risgaard.
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The trade union movement is satisfied that the Labour Court has – also with this case – shown its support for the workers’ right to defend themselves against a company like Ryanair which grossly underpays its employees and blatantly disregards our rules, says LO’s Vice-President, Lizette Risgaard. Прочети още →

Flight Attendants Day of Action at United Airlines

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The Joint Negotiating Committee of AFA-CWA flight attendants has called for a National Day of Action on Thursday, July 16, to highlight the difficulties that they are facing bargaining a contract with United Airlines.

“The bottom line problem is the company’s unwillingness to put the required economic resources into a Flight Attendant Contract,” AFA-CWA President Sara Nelson said. “That is unacceptable and we are going to stand up to make it clear to the company that we expect much more, especially now as United’s profits are soaring.”  Прочети още →

Ryanair pulls Copenhagen base in dispute with Danish unions over ‘Irish working conditions’

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Ryanair has pulled its base from Copenhagen after a decision by the Danish Labour Court that ruled that Copenhagen airport staff had the right to refuse to service its flights in a dispute over workers’ rights.
The Irish budget airline’s policy of employing people in countries such as Denmark under the less generous terms of Ireland, rather than local rules, has incurred the anger of Danish labour unions. Прочети още →

Civil aviation unions plan fight against damaging impact of FOCs

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Forty-one of the ITF’s civil aviation affiliates from 22 countries agreed on 26 July to develop a global union strategy with strong national and regional pillars to fight against the damaging impact of the growing use of flags of convenience (FOCs) in the aviation industry.

The previous day, they had participated in an industry-wide conference hosted by the ITF to stimulate discussion and provide a fuller picture of the current situation and future trends. Leaders from ITF- and ETF- affiliated unions addressed the conference, while the ITF’s general secretary Stephen Cotton and maritime co-ordinator Jackie Smith explained the challenges experienced by ITF maritime unions with FOCs. Прочети още →

DANISH COURT ALLOWS INDUSTRIAL ACTION AGAINST RYANAIR

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Today 1 July 2015, the Danish Labour Court ruled that Ryanair has to engage in collective bargaining with trade unions within five days and that the Flight Personnel Union (FPU), affiliated to the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), can legally enter into an industrial conflict with Ryanair. This means that a primary industrial action can come into force on Monday at midnight and a variety of secondary actions in the airport can be initiated, such as no refueling of airplanes, no baggage loading etc.Logo_Heroes_of_the_Sky_EN_web Прочети още →