Aviation workers in “same team, same rights” action

July 13, 2011

Check-in worker in Bordeaux, France supporting the campaign

Workers in the Skyteam airline alliance were this week united in a global action to support ground-handlers in the UK, kicking off a broader campaign to promote a “same team, same rights” approach.

Employees of a number of Skyteam alliance airlines including Aerolineas Argentinas, Air Europa, Air France, Czech Airlines, KLM and Middle East Airlines, joined forces on 6 July to show solidarity with workers in ground-handler Cobalt Ground Solutions Ltd in the UK, a subsidiary of Air France-KLM Group. Represented by the UK ITF-affiliated union Unite and based at London’s Heathrow airport, the Cobalt workers are in dispute with the company over differing terms. For example, new Cobalt workers do not receive the same flight concessions as others and a unilateral decision by management means that all workers who received flight concessions have been transferred onto inferior terms and conditions. Unite is currently in negotiations with Air France-KLM management to resolve the dispute.

The global solidarity action saw unionists representing alliance airline workers take photographs holding the “same team, same rights” poster in their workplace and distribute leaflets amongst workers. It took place shortly, before Unite’s next meeting with management and aimed to ram home the ‘same team same rights’ message to Air France-KLM management.

The action was the first in a number of planned protests to demand a unified standard on flight concessions for all workers in Skyteam airlines and their subsidiaries.

Gabriel Mocho, ITF civil aviation section secretary, commented: “This is the start of an international campaign to protect the rights and conditions of thousands of aviation workers in this group of airlines. These unions, which are seeing the companies maximise profits through a joint strategy approach, are themselves coordinating strengths to ensure their common voice is heard.”