Airline pilots approve strike from Monday

The aeronauts unanimously approved this Thursday (15), strike for an indefinite period from Monday (19).

According to a decision by the National Union of Aeronauts, the stoppage of pilots, co-pilots and flight attendants will be between 6 am and 8 am at the airports of Congonhas (São Paulo), Guarulhos, Galeão, Santos Dumont (both in Rio), Viracopos (Campinas), Porto Alegre, Fortaleza, Brasília and Confins (Belo Horizonte).

The guidance is for them to suspend takeoffs at that time, except in cases of transporting organs for transplantation, vaccines or with sick people on board.

Snea (National Union of Airline Companies) and the companies Gol and Latam were contacted this afternoon, but have not yet responded. Azul said it will not comment.

The aeronauts charge the airline companies with salary recomposition according to the INPC (National Consumer Price Index) and a real gain (above inflation) of 5%. In the social clauses, they ask for the maintenance of the collective agreement of the category and the definition of veto schedules for changes in days off.

The crew members say that the companies presented a proposal without real gain and with clauses that worsened working conditions. On November 25, 90% of the 7,000 aeronauts who participated in an assembly voted to reject the proposal.

Another attempt at an agreement was made in early November, but again the negotiation did not advance. The airlines offered the readjustment by the INPC in all economic items, such as salary and benefits, except for international rates.

The SNA says it will continue the strike until airlines respond to the claims. “The negotiation was frustrated, and the strike, which is the workers’ only instrument of struggle, became necessary”, says the union, in a strike manual distributed at the end of the assembly.

The airline sector was one of the most affected in the most acute period of the Covid-19 pandemic, when travel was practically paralyzed. When traffic returned, it was still hampered by different rules across countries and rising costs.

During negotiations with the areas, the union that represents the crew prepared an economic analysis of the three companies. In the entity’s assessment, the numbers –which show an increase in domestic demand and revenues– demonstrate the ability of companies to improve the terms of negotiation.

The Airline Employees Union, which represents the ground staff at the airports, is also negotiating with the companies and has started voting on the proposal presented last week by Gol and Azul. The vote is expected to be completed next week.

Snea proposed a 5.97% readjustment of wages, meal vouchers, food vouchers and other monetary benefits, equivalent to the INPC. Among the social clauses there is the right to arrange, monthly, a day off on Saturdays or Mondays, to be amended with Sunday.