Statement on the organising effort at LHT Puerto Rico by the IAMAW

December 11, 2017

Lufthansa Technik Union Network members fully support the struggle of LHT Puerto Rico workers to organise under the wide and strong roof of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW).

We are ready to do whatever we can to unite our forces to stand in solidarity with them in your fight.

Lufthansa Technik is a leading MRO provider with more than 30 companies and 26,000 employees. As a truly multinational company, Lufthansa Technik has the power to play a group of workers against others and lower national social standards wherever it operates. This is why a coordinated approach of trade unions at the global level is all the more important.

IAMAW has collected enough signatures and the vote was expected to start on 6 September and end at on 27 September.

However, in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, when union volunteers were mobilizing for Puerto Rico the National Mediation Board took the unprecedented step and cancelling the vote. Delaying or rescheduling the vote would be somewhat understandable given extraordinary destruction created by two hurricanes. But cancelling the process mid-vote doesn’t make sense and is totally unacceptable.

The Board cited the hurricane as the reason. But instead of conferring with the union and the company on the best way to handle the issue, making such a unilateral decision to cancel the vote goes against the basic international principles of the freedom to organize.

We support IAMAW’s efforts aiming to overcome this uncertainty and encourage the Mechanic and Related employees at Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico to stay strong in their efforts to join the house of labor through the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Dear sisters and brothers who work for LHT Puerto Rico: your struggle is our struggle! We are with you.

Civil Aviation LHT Working Group Meeting
Buenos Aires, 6 December 2017

Tags: , , , , ,

Leave a Reply