Industrial dispute in the Swedish civil aviation (Unionen)

February 4, 2012

Unionen and the Swedish branch organisation for employers in civil aviation (Svenska FlygBranschen) have been negotiating since March 2010 towards a unified agreement regulating terms and conditions for all cabin crew based and operating in Sweden. The negotiations involve 10 current agreements regulating 18 different companies. The result is intended to unite all existing agreements into one single agreement.

The social partners agree on all aspects concerning structure and national regulations. They have opposing positions on one issue: a regulation limiting planned duty time. Unionen proposes no limit to Subpart-Q in respect to actual duty time (60 hours/7 days), but only to scheduling (42 hours/7 days). While opening negotiations by suggesting 42 hours as a feasible threshold, Unionen remains open to discussion on other values and aspects of the proposed regulation. The employers have refused on all accounts, both  in negotiations and in voluntary arbitration, to even discuss sector-wide regulation of  duty time.

Having exhausted all means at its disposal for a negotiated solution, Unionen has no other recourse than to give notice of industrial action. On February 2 Unionen declared a blockade, to begin at 11 am on February 14, of all cabin crew duties involving complete work stoppage in three of the 18 companies: TUIfly Nordic, Nova Airlines and Primera. The strike will continue until a new agreement is signed. Supplementary actions including additional companies and other unions will be called into effect if necessary. Although the first course of action involves just three companies (in consideration of the detrimental effect on the travelling public) industrial action will cease only when an agreement is signed for all the companies involved.

The Swedish National Mediation Office will oversee compulsory arbitration.

Michael Collins

National Secretary

Mobile +46 70 636 9117

E-mail michael.collins@unionen.se

Companies in arbitration

• TUIfly Nordic
• Nova Airlines
• Thomas Cook Airlines
• SAS
• Malmö Aviation
• Primera Air Scandinavia
• City Airline
• Norwegian Air Shuttle
• Avia Express Sweden (Skyways)
• Golden Air
• NEX Time Jet
• Gotlandsflyg
• Sundsvallsflyg
• Kullaflyg
• Blekingeflyg
• Kalmarflyg
• Flysmaland
• Höga Kusten Flyg