TST cuts pilot strike and reduces downtime to 10% of the crew

Minister Maria Cristina Peduzzi, from the TST (Superior Labor Court), decided this Friday (16) that only 10% of pilots, co-pilots and flight attendants will be able to effectively join the crew strike scheduled to start on Monday ( 19).

The decision partially complied with an injunction (a type of emergency measure) presented by Snea (National Union of Airline Companies). The companies asked for the strike to be canceled, which was denied.

The decision of the labor court practically makes the movement unfeasible, since 90% of the crew must remain active. A fine of R$200,000 was set. The strike approved on Thursday (15) provided for a two-hour stoppage, always from 6 am to 8 am, for an indefinite period.

A negotiation hearing was scheduled, also this Friday, after the National Union of Aeronauts communicated to the court that the strike indication was approved and intended to reach an agreement. “The objective is to try to avoid the stoppage and discuss, immediately, the conflict of interests involved in the question”, said the vice-president of the TST, Minister Aloysio Corrêa da Veiga, before the meeting.

The strike approved by the airmen affects flights departing from the airports of Congonhas (São Paulo), Guarulhos, Galeão, Santos Dumont (both in Rio), Viracopos (Campinas), Porto Alegre, Fortaleza, Brasília and Confins (Belo Horizonte).

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.

Two proposals presented by Snea, which represents Azul and Gol, were rejected.

Snea says in a note that “negotiations with the category started in October and the base of the CCT [convenção coletiva de trabalho] current status has been secured”. He also states that negotiations with the crew are still ongoing at the TST.

This Friday, the president of the aeronauts union, Henrique Hacklaender, published a video in which he calls on Latam pilots, co-pilots and flight attendants to join the strike.

As the company negotiates directly with the union, the crew would be under pressure to continue working, since negotiations for the collective agreement are underway.

On Thursday, Latam said it understands that the strike is related to the negotiation of the crew with Snea, which represents Gol and Azul.

“We do need everyone’s attendance on Monday, including the Latam crew, paralyzing the flights and supporting the movements”, said the president of the SNA.

The Snea (National Union of Airline Companies) informed in a note that the negotiations seek to ensure the continuity of services “and the rights of customers to travel, especially in this period of high season.”

The employers hoped to achieve the total cancellation of the strike at the TST. The airlines union says it has not received any counter-proposals from the crew and states, in a note, that the professional categories can defend their interests “provided that the negotiating path is exhausted and legality is observed.”