Oneworld unions offer employers ‘partnership in building alliance future’ (ITF press release)
July 18, 2011
A new body representing workers in oneworld alliance airlines today made its first move by offering a constructive partnership between trade unions and management on problem-solving and negotiation.
The One World of Labour Council – which was formed in April by unions affiliated to the ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) and with members working across the alliance – made the offer in a letter to the CEOs of each of oneworld’s 12 member airlines.
In it, the Council’s coordinator, John M Conley, says:
“I am writing to you to introduce the One World of Labour Council, a global group that comprises trade unions representing workers across the oneworld alliance member airlines.
“The aneworld airlines are operating increasingly as if they have a de facto merger, and this alliance on the part of our employers has caused us to forge even closer working relationships. The One World of Labour Council was established within the International Transport Workers’ Federation, a Global Union Federation of 780 transport trade unions which collectively represent over 4.6 million workers worldwide, to strengthen collaboration, information sharing, joint planning and actions on issues of common concern to our members.
“The Labour Council met recently in Madrid, where its members reaffirmed their commitment to acting in unity and becoming an effective counterpart to the employers in the oneworld alliance.
“We see ourselves as your partners in building a world class oneworld alliance that maintains high standards with regard to safety, customer care and employment conditions, and that strengthens its position through quality service and professionalism rather than by pursuing a futile and destructive strategy of labour cost competition.
“At present, industrial relations are clearly strained in a number of airlines within the oneworld group and our unions have pledged to support each other during these challenging times. Nevertheless, we wish to express our commitment to problem-solving and negotiating in good faith with those among our management counterparts who are wiling to do the same. To this end, the Labour Council would like to invite you and your fellow leaders within oneworld to open channels of communication with us as soon as possible, both at the national and global levels.”
The One World of Labour Council seeks to forge a coordinated approach to labour relations across the alliance airlines and act as a voice for those working within it who might otherwise not be heard. The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) is a global union federation representing 4,668,950 members in 155 countries. Two hundred and seventy five of those unions represent workers in the aviation sector, including cabin crew, pilots, ground staff, baggage handlers and air traffic controllers.
ENDS