Unions demonstrate unity over airline merger

July 3, 2012

Workers from the LAN airline joined with their counterparts at Brazil’s TAM at Santiago airport in Chile last week to welcome the creation of a new, merged LATAM enterprise.

In a public event that sprung from a recent ITF LATAM organising meeting, trade unionists displayed their unity in working together at the new company.

Arlette Gay, president of the ITF affiliated Chilean union the Sindicato de Tripulantes de Cabina de LAN, explained: “Our objective was to demonstrate to LAN and TAM, to unions and to the wider public that, working together, we will continue to ensure labour rights and standards are upheld and jobs maintained. To an audience of passengers and press – and a very positive reception – we showed that workers are not limited by national boundaries, and that we are looking to the future with unity, cohesion and an understanding of the value of  the all important human element.

ITF civil aviation secretary Gabriel Mocho commented:  "LATAM network unions are reminding the public that a merger not only brings businesses together but fundamentally brings people together. People who have families, rights and a job in the industry they love and are organised in strong unions that will ensure that the merger will keep those jobs.”

More photos of the event can be seen at www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.312435455515547.71222.115517165207378&type=1

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