Brussels, 20 November 2017
The Air Traffic Controllers European Unions Coordination (ATCEUC) and the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) have launched today a campaign to oppose the European Commission will to shape and limit the Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs)’ right to strike. Indeed, Commission encroaches the national sovereignty of Member States as the right to strike falls outside the scope of the Treaties.
Joint Press Statement of ETF, ATCEUC and IFATSEA
Brussels, 26 September 2017
The undersigned ATM Professional Staff Organisations note with great regret yet another attack of Airlines for Europe (A4E) on the European Air Traffic Management in the form of a joint letter of A4E member airlines’ CEOs to the European Air Navigation Service providers (ANSPs). The letter enumerates a number of ATM-related issues as cause for the delays. We understand that delays and lack of capacity might be frustrating but every day ANSPs and their staff are doing the utmost to deliver safe and quality services to airlines and their passengers.
While recognising the constraints we as professional staff representatives believe that Europe should be proud of its ATM system. Given the different cultural and national backgrounds it is remarkable that we have been able to build a cooperative system that delivers such an incredibly high level of safety and efficiency. A4E, on the contrary, is very selective in terms of the numbers they portray as hard facts, demonstrating a self-centred point of view only directed at profit margins rather than at offering true benefits for the European citizens.
Brussels, 8 June 2017
ETF strongly opposes recommendations in Connected Aviation Package
attacking Air Traffic Controllers’ fundamental rights
As part of its package entitled ‘Open and connected Europe’, the European Commission announced today its recommendations on the so-called service continuity, including measures affecting the right to strike. The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) strongly deplores this attempt to limit indirectly this fundamental right guaranteed by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights by proposing measures such as individual notification, protection of overflights and air traffic peak periods.
The proposed measures significantly encroach the national sovereignty of Member States and contradict the Article 153 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union which clearly states that the right to strike is excluded from EU competencies. This article must be understood as a whole, including the way this right is being organised at national level.
Charles-André Quesnel, Chair of the ETF Air Traffic Management Committee, commented: “The aim of the proposed notification at individual level is to attack the collective power of trade unions and we cannot tolerate this. The proposed measures are in breach of EU Treaties and we reserve the right to challenge them at the European Court of Justice.”
In an earlier study based on official EU data and entitled ‘Efficiency, capacity and growth in European aviation’, the ETF together with ATCEUC have demonstrated that while blaming the air traffic controllers, the airlines themselves are responsible for over 50 percent of flight delays in Europe. Furthermore, the study shows that guaranteeing minimum services, which are in place in several EU Member States, are an ineffective measure.
The ETF is also reserved on the proposal to guarantee 100 percent of overflights in countries affected by industrial action and to use air traffic controllers from other countries as strike-breakers. Apart from the fact that this would circumvent the right to strike, it may also have serious safety consequences due to the lack of sector-specific training for these “universal” controllers.
François Ballestero, ETF Political Secretary for Civil Aviation, added: “It is regrettable that the Commission is copy-pasting measures proposed by the lobby organisation of the European airlines. Under the populistic pretext of passenger protection they once again give preference to profit before people. Instead of attacking fundamental rights we urge the Commission to propose recommendations to the airlines to create quality jobs instead of installing social dumping all over Europe.”
November 23, 2016
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.
Unions from LAN Airlines and TAM Airlines from seven countries expand support for striking LAN Airlines workers
Union leaders representing mechanics, pilots, flight attendants, and ground staff of LAN Airlines and TAM Airlines from seven countries: Chile, Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil and Paraguay are providing support to the striking workers of LAN in Chile.
The union leaders are announcing the escalation and expansion of the conflict throughout the region. Прочети още
According to the International Transport Workers Federation, “Over the weekend truck drivers in Kenya working for Agility global integrated logistics were beaten, abducted at gunpoint and forced to drive their trucks to a company workshop. Прочети още
Brussels, 20 November 2017
The Air Traffic Controllers European Unions Coordination (ATCEUC) and the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) have launched today a campaign to oppose the European Commission will to shape and limit the Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs)’ right to strike. Indeed, Commission encroaches the national sovereignty of Member States as the right to strike falls outside the scope of the Treaties.