Unite ends BA ‘fire and rehire’ dispute by securing deal to avoid forthcoming cargo strike action

Unite, the UK’s principal aviation union, has secured a deal (subject to a members’ ballot) to end the long running dispute over British Airways’ plans to fire and rehire the workforce in its cargo division. Strike action taken Members of Unite employed at BA Cargo, the majority of whom work at Heathrow Airport, undertook nine […]


January 27, 2021

Joint letter slams Bluebird Nordic’s bogus self-employment ploy

The ITF, ETF, IFALPA, ECA, NTA & FIA have sent a joint letter to Bluebird Nordic to condemn their actions against their contracted employees. Our Icelandic affiliate Icelandic Airline Pilots Association (FIA) has informed us about Bluebird Nordic planned restructuring of the airline. We regret seeing Bluebird Nordic management’s actions, laying off all their pilots […]


January 14, 2021

Unions take Qantas to High Court over alleged misuse of JobKeeper scheme, underpayment of staff (abc.net.au)

Unions are taking their fight against Qantas and its use of the JobKeeper wage subsidy program to the High Court. They say workers have been ripped off by the airline after working public holidays, weekends and overtime during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) is accusing Qantas of not paying workers their rightful […]


Aviation workers should be given priority for COVID-19 vaccines

The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) welcome progress in the development of vaccines for COVID-19. As vaccines continue to be approved and distributed worldwide, aviation workers will play a key role in the integrity of their global supply chain. An effective global vaccine strategy will […]


December 22, 2020

Ver.di wins a breakthrough agreement for DHL pilots

ITF’s German affiliate Ver.di announced on 11 December the successful conclusion of the collective bargaining negotiations for European Air Transport (EAT) flight deck crew in DHL’s Leipzig operation. The new collective agreement (CBA) between EAT and Ver.di gives workers: more off duty time for the same amount of money more compensation for the periods that […]


December 14, 2020

Stop the Heathrow’s great British rip off and support striking Unite members

Heathrow Airport Ltd, the company that owns one of the world’s busiest airports is trying to rip off thousands of their workers with a devious plan to let them go and hire them back on lower wages. Heathrow’s plans will mean up to 25% wage cuts for these workers – a major blow to the […]


December 1, 2020

Unbreakable solidarity with HIV-positive transport workers on World AIDS Day 2020

STATEMENT FROM THE GENERAL SECRETARY, STEPHEN COTTON | HIV/AIDS | CREW CHANGE CRISIS The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and our global union family of affiliates represent what are likely to number hundreds of thousands of the world’s 37.9 million people living with HIV or AIDS. These people are our mothers, our fathers, our sisters, […]


Operating Heathrow during strike action could risk safety warns Unite the Union (unitetheunion.org)

Unite, the UK’s principal aviation union, has warned that it has very serious concerns about the safe operation of Heathrow airport when the first targeted strike action, in the dispute over firing and rehiring the workforce and slashing their pay and conditions, begins tomorrow (Tuesday 1 December). The strike action will involve firefighters, engineers, campus […]


November 30, 2020