Social discontent Brussels Airlines: new actions avoided at start of the summer holidays

Until after the busy first weekend of July, Brussels Airlines will not organise any new actions. However, the European Transport Workers' Federation warns that the unrest at Brussels Airport and other European airports could continue throughout the summer.

The management of Brussels Airlines has invited the trade unions to meet on Monday 4 July to discuss the possibilities of reducing the work pressure. ​ "During this meeting, we will inform the social partners about short-term measures to reduce the workload this summer," Brussels Airlines said. The content of these measures is not yet known.

Last week, Brussels Airlines pilots and cabin crew went on strike for three days to draw attention to the excessive workload. Although the unions threatened new actions on Monday, because the management wanted to postpone further consultations until after the summer, the announced consultations postponed further actions.

In order to deal with the excessive work pressure, Brussels Airlines already cancelled 148 flights for the summer. According to the trade unions, the management has also promised to examine the possibility of cancelling flights in August.

With the strikes of both Brussels Airlines and Ryanair, Brussels Airport is not the only airport that will suffer from striking staff this summer.

"The current chaos in the aviation sector will only increase during the summer as workers are pushed to their limits," the European Transport Workers' Federation warned a few days ago.

"The overburdened workers in the aviation sector are being asked to work every day until they drop, to make up for the staff shortage in the sector."

According to the federation, the current state of affairs is the direct result of the failure of governments, employers and regulators, combined with the greed of some airlines who have used the coronapandemic as an excuse to reduce the number and quality of jobs in the sector.

Meanwhile, the European Transport Workers' Federation is calling for, among other things, collective agreements at European level, fair wages, better working conditions for all workers in the sector and the abolition of bogus self-employment.

(AHU)

© BELGA PHOTO BRUNO FAHY