International Aviation Organizations Condemn Workplace Harassment and Violence
July 26, 2023
Photo: Anna Giunta
MONTREAL: The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA), the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA), and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), are united in their condemnation of all forms of workplace harassment and violence. Workplace harassment happens in all sectors, all global regions, and in all industries. However, in a world shifting rapidly towards total condemnation of workplace harassment, aviation often lags behind other industries.
It is impossible to address workplace harassment, particularly sexual and gender-based harassment, in the aviation industry without an examination and understanding of its severe gender imbalance. Women make up fewer than 5% of airline pilots, 3% of aircraft maintenance engineers and technicians, and only about 20% of air traffic controllers worldwide. This lack of diversity continues to support an environment of exclusion.
If we are to maximize the potential of aviation professionals worldwide, we must all unite to counteract this imbalance. The culture of aviation must accelerate to the level of other industries if we are to attract and retain the skilled workforce required to address the staffing shortages – for pilots, ATC, cabin crew, and ground crew.
We call on the entire aviation industry to establish practices in alignment with the International Labour Organization’s Convention No.190 – on the elimination of violence and harassment at work. We call on States to ratify both the ILO C190, as well as the ICAO Montreal Protocol 2014 to prevent violence from unruly passengers.
Further, we urge the international aviation community to actively support ICAO’s Gender Equality Programme promoting the participation of women in the global aviation, and to follow ICAO as it “Reaffirms its commitment to enhancing gender equality and the advancement of women’s development by supporting UN Sustainable Development Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls including by aiming to achieve an aspirational goal of 50-50 (women-men) by 2030 at all professional and higher levels of employment in the global aviation sector…”
IFALPA, IFATCA, and the ITF are united in condemning all forms of workplace harassment in the aviation industry. We encourage every employer to establish and maintain a safe working environment, free from harassment and intimidation. “A positive atmosphere, open interaction, and a functional work community elevate the wellbeing of employees.”
ENDS
Media contacts:
IFALPA, Emily Bitting, emilybitting[@]ifalpa.org
ITF, Luke Menzies, menzies_luke[@]itf.org.uk
IFATCA, Nicola Niriada, nicola.niriada[@]ifatca.org, office[@]ifatca.org
Tags: harassment, ICAO, IFALPA, IFATCA, ILO convention no 190, Montreal protocol, violence