Pilots and flight attendants go on strike on Monday

Aeronauts —the category of professionals who work aboard aircraft, such as pilots and flight attendants— will go on strike next Monday (29). The decision came from an assembly held this Wednesday (24) by the SNA (National Union of Aeronauts).

By the decision of the category, on the first day, half of the workers will not fly. The next day, the half that was working will stop, until the claims are attended to.

“Activities considered essential services can go on strike, but it is necessary to keep the service to a minimum. We understand that keeping 50% operating already meets the legal requirements”, says the president of the union, Ondino Dutra Cavalheiro Neto.

In case of a court decision that forces more workers to remain active, the union intends to make further adjustments.

According to the organization, the list of claims for the renewal of the CCT (Collective Labor Convention) of aeronauts refers to the correction of inflationary losses in two-year wages.

The requests deal with the full renewal of the current text, ensuring the maintenance of a minimum regulation for the exercise of the profession without risks to safety, says the SNA.

According to the president of the union, the category spent the period of the pandemic being forced to sign collective agreements to suspend contracts, unpaid leaves and reduce working hours and wages.

“In addition, since the beginning of negotiations, Snea [Sindicato Nacional das Empresas Aeroviárias] it did not guarantee the maintenance of the current clauses of the convention in case a new agreement was not closed by the base date of the category, December 1st”, says the SNA.

“In recent months, we have faced bankruptcies, mass layoffs, doubts about the future. We want at least an inflationary recovery,” says Dutra. “But we are going to come out stronger than we entered the crisis. We represent 7% of the cost of companies, and this year we will be the ones who will determine our value.”

“The category has accepted salary reductions since the beginning of the pandemic and the companies are in good condition. Azul has the greatest liquidity in its history, Gol carried out the biggest deleveraging since its foundation and Latam achieved the biggest cost reduction in more ten years,” he says.

Wanted, Snea had not yet commented on the aeronauts’ decision.

In a statement released on the 18th, the union representing the companies said that after a meeting with the workers’ organization, the SNA declared that there was no counter-proposal, maintaining the initial agenda, fixed in the full recomposition of the INPC (National Price Index for the Consumer) of the last 24 months.

“Airline companies, through Snea, remain flexible with regard to negotiations and remain engaged in finding the best solution for everyone,” said the organization at the time.