ITF Press Release: Airline alliance unions meet in Buenos Aires
June 22, 2012
Unions representing workers from the major airline alliances are meeting this week in Argentina to share information and develop strategic responses to developments in the industry. They will cover issues such as the implications of the proposed LAN-TAM merger on Oneworld Alliance workers and the situation at Turkish Airlines, which has raised serious concern among Star Alliance unions.
During the meeting, the One World of Labour Council (OWOLC) – the coalition of unions representing workers at Oneworld Alliance airlines – will also launch a new film and webpage. The new webpage, www.owolc.org, and seven minute film One World, One Voice: How global unions tackle aviation alliances are the latest campaigning tools in the Council’s ongoing mission to help those working for Oneworld to pool their experiences and ensure that their voices are heard in their own workplaces and beyond.
Sito Pantoja, IAM transportation general vice president, who is chairing the meeting, commented: “This annual gathering is important to ensure that those who work in alliance member airlines are as coordinated and informed as their employers. This cooperation goes beyond information sharing and seeks to enhance our practical solidarity capacity to support our members around theworld. On that note, the Star Alliance unions will be watching the situation in Turkey closely. We hope that sense will prevail, that the dismissed workers will be reinstated, and that a constructive dialogue with the union on the new labour law will start immediately.”
Commenting on the initiative by the OWOLC, ITF civil aviation section secretary Gabriel Mocho added: “One of our primary aims is to ensure that workers in this alliance are internationally informed and involved, and this meeting, and, in particular this new web presence and film, are a step forward in doing that. They are an open invitation to everyone working in Oneworld to find out more and participate. The Council’s activities are also about democracy building and have, from the first, been accompanied by an offer of constructive partnership with management. ”
The meeting is being hosted by the Asociación Argentina de Aeronavegantes: the Asociación de Pilotos de Líneas Aéreas; the Union del Personal Superior y Profesional de Empresas Aerocomerciales, and Asociación del Personal Aeronáutico, who are members of the recently formed Federation of Aviation Unions of Argentina (FAPA).
ENDS