Oneworld Alliance unions to explore joint action

February 24, 2011

London: ITF unions representing workers in the Oneworld Alliance airlines today agreed to explore ways of taking a coordinated approach to labour relations across the Alliance, including the creation of a ‘One World of Labour Council’. They plan to meet in the USA in the April to flesh out the idea and develop joint strategies and tactics.

That meeting will allow unions representing workers across the alliance to decide possible strategies and cooperation within the Oneworld grouping, update each other on the status of their negotiations and consider how to provide practical help to each another – as well as discussing the setting up of a ‘One World of Labour Council’ to coordinate activity and information. The meeting will be hosted in Washington DC by the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU), which represents ground workers at Oneworld partner American Airlines.

ITF civil aviation section vice chair Brendan Gold said: “The ITF is committed to building a strong and active global network of unions as a necessary counterbalance to the employers in the airline alliances. This need has become more pressing with the growing impact of alliance policies and strategies on the actions and decisions of individual airlines and on our members’ jobs. There is a growing risk that those who actually work for the 12 major airlines are not being heard. This potential alliance within the Alliance will address that democratic deficit. ”

James C Little, TWU president, added: “If businesses can form global alliances, so can labour. The Oneworld airlines are operating as if they have a de facto merger. Airline unions around the globe have worked together for decades and supported each other during difficult times. Alliances on the part of our employers will cause us to forge even closer working relationships.”

Go to ITF press statement in ITFglobal.org

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