The pilots’ wage demands sawed – Västerbotten Courier

Economy. SAS pilots’ demands for wage increases get tough criticism. The Swedish aviation will move abroad if the pilots’ high wage demands continues, believes the industry organization Swedish air. In the morning at 18, the pilot strike break out in Sweden.

Facts

Last SAS pilots in Sweden called a strike in May last year. The strike was called off, but many travelers suffered because SAS had time to set up the 110 domestic flights and departures to Europe.

The negotiations last year ended with the pilots had to give in to SAS and settle for a wage increase of 1 percent.

in February this year a strike broke out on cabin crew. The strike affected 1400 people, as a large number of flights were canceled between Arlanda and Visby, Kalmar, Turku and Vaasa. The cabin crew working for the staffing company GEC, a company that hires out staff to the airline Flybe, which in turn hired by SAS.

– There Swedish airline industry must be competitive and then it does not require excessive wage increases, says Anna Wilson, Secretary General of the Swedish air.

Pilot Associations in Sweden and Norway, together with the SAS for a long time negotiating new collective agreements pilots. The main points of negotiations for the pilot association in Sweden, among other things, job security and salary adjustments.

Negotiations are in full swing between the parties. If no agreement can be reached before 18 o’clock tomorrow be upwards of 350 SAS pilots based at the airport on strike in Sweden.

“Reasonable requirements”

Pilot Association requires 3.5 percent the salary increase.

– it is not an unreasonable demand, it is a balanced and reasonable. SAS pilots have had a negative moderation recent years. They have been put back and reduced their salaries to help the company, says Wilhelm Tersmeden, vice chairman of the Swedish pilot association.

But even Swedish Enterprise sharply criticizes the Swedish pilot association’s wage demands.

– the association has remarkable high wage demands compared with other groups in society had. Swedish air is highly competitive and facing major challenges, it should be the Swedish flight that sets the bar for wages on the basis of the competition that exists in the market, said Peter Jeppsson, vice president of the Swedish business community.

Domestic affected

According to the SAS press officer Fredrik Henriksson will air traffic be significantly affected if the strike breaks out.

– We hope to agree on a new collective agreement before the clock 18 tomorrow night. We do not want travelers to be affected, he said.

If the strike erupts affected domestic flights in Sweden and routes within Scandinavia and Europe. On the state airport company Swedavia hoped that the parties will reach an early solution.

– A strike will affect air traffic large. Negotiations are underway right now and we do not express an opinion about which routes might be affected. We hope that the parties will agree as soon as possible, says Ulf Wallin, Head of Swedavia.

In Norway, SAS has agreed a new contract with the Norwegian pilot unions NSF and SAS Norway Pilot (SNF). The agreement, effective from 1 April and is valid for one year, means that all SAS flights to and from Norway will go as planned, according to SAS in a press release.

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