Global union speaks out for Finnish workers

ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) leaders have joined to speak out in defence of Finnish workers and their trade unions, and the way they have championed the best of that country’s values worldwide. Finland’s workers are currently under attack from a government trying to force through unprecedented development cuts, austerity measures and changes to sick […]


September 25, 2015

Prospect calls for CAA to be broken up (prospect.org.uk)

Prospect has called for the UK’s aviation regulator to be split up, in a letter to transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin, amid concerns that safety is no longer its paramount concern. The union, which represents more than 5,000 aviation specialists, reached the conclusion that the Civil Aviation Authority’s regulatory functions should be separated after extensive research […]


September 23, 2015

Qatar Airways silent protest at airline show

A masked and gagged cabin crew member protested outside a global airline show in London this week ahead of an address by a Qatar Airways executive. The protest, during day two of the World Low Cost Airlines Congress, was part of the ongoing ITF campaign against the airline, which denies its workers the right to […]


September 22, 2015

ITF backs unions’ resistance to Burkina Faso coup

The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) is condemning the coup by the presidential guard in Burkina Faso and backing trade unions who are launching an aviation strike tomorrow to protest against it. ITF general secretary Steve Cotton said: “We applaud the bravery and commitment of our brother and sister trade unionists in Burkina Faso, as […]


September 21, 2015

Finland strike ‘shuts down ports’ (bbc.co.uk)

A widespread anti-austerity strike in Finland has shut down ports and disrupted flights in the country, news agencies have reported. Finnair, the national carrier, has cancelled 16 domestic flights and delays are expected. Trains and city buses have stopped running, but ferries, including those to Sweden and Estonia, are operational. Strikers are protesting against government […]


September 18, 2015

Aviation unions set strategies for industry future

Forty delegates from ITF-affiliated unions from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen, gathered in Tunis from on 1 to 3 September to discuss the issues and priorities in the civil aviation sector. The meeting looked at the challenges facing cabin crew and ground handling workers, as well as the effect of […]


Three Russian pilots have been freed from jail

In January 2014, at the request of the Confederation of Labour of Russia (KTR) and the pilots union at Aeroflot, the LabourStart launched an online campaign demanding the release of jailed union leaders Alexei Shlyapnokov, Valeriy Pimoshenko and Sergei Knyshov, and the ITF Civil Aviation Section supported this campaign. As part of this campaign over […]


September 15, 2015

Flights cancelled as strike in Chile bites

Chilean air traffic controllers joined in the strike action called for on 15 September 2015, by the workers of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) as they confirmed beforehand. Flight cancellations are abound in Chile at the moment. The photo is from the Santiago Airport. You can find further information about the dispute and the […]