Canadian unions boycott SAS – E24
Canada’s “LO” and the country’s largest pilot association make a joint front in support of laid-off and dismissed SAS pilots. In parallel, SAS opens new directors to Toronto.
A SAS aircraft on its way in for landing at Oslo Airport Gardermoen in January 2022.
Canada’s “LO”, the Canadian Labor Congress (CLC), with over three million members, including the Canadian Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), is calling for a national boycott of SAS.
It appears from one press release from ALPA Thursday. The association embraces pilots from a total of 17 Canadian airlines.
– On behalf of 6,000 ALPA members, we stand motionless behind the SAS pilots, it is said.
Condemns
Due to the pandemic, SAS has laid off 560 pilots.
In September last year, the SAS management informed the remaining employees about the establishment of new subsidiaries, SAS Connect (formerly SAS Ireland) and SAS Link.
Dismissed and laid-off pilots were not reinstated, but asked to apply for offered jobs in the new companies on new terms in wholly owned staffing companies, ALPA points out.
– In practice, the SAS pilots were asked to start their careers at SAS again. The SAS management will circumvent business transfer laws in Scandinavia, something we believe is an unacceptable approach to international working principles (..), it says in the report from ALPA.
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– We condemn the abominable company behavior towards the unions and employees and will oppose and oppose such unsustainable management practices. Therefore, ALPA Canada strongly requests CLS’s to its affiliates not to book flights with SAS, and to use alternative airlines within the future.
CLC already needs it January 20th have adopted a national boycott of SAS.
New Canada Routes
SAS announced as sent as this week start-up of direct routes between Scandinavia and TorontoCanada.
It also came as a surprise to Star Alliance partner Air Canada, according to the Danish industry website Check-in.
SAS will fly from Stockholm and Copenhagen four and three times a week from June, respectively, if all permits are in place within the time.
Downtown Toronto sets off from the ferry that goes out to Hanlan’s Point across the bay.
SAS does not wish to comment on either the boycott or the impact it may have on the investment.
– We register the proposal but have no comments other than this, says press manager John Eckhoff in SAS to E24.
Press Officer John Eckhoff, SAS.
Unique
The leader of the Norwegian SAS Pilots’ Association (NSF), Roger Klokset, points out that the boycott is something Canadian unions have done on their own initiative.
He does not want to promote a boycott of SAS.
– We understand that the measures taken by SAS are attracting international attention, says Klokset.
Leader Roger Klokset, Norwegian SAS Pilots’ Association
He adds that the SAS pilot is experiencing strong support from trade unions both nationally and internationally.
However, the Canadian call for a boycott is unique.
– We have not experienced anything in the previous direction, says Klokset.
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During the corona pandemic, SAS halved its workforce to around 500 employees today.
The company has garnered strong criticism from former cabin crew and pilots who believe SAS by staffing the subsidiaries SAS Link and SAS Connect circumvents a five-year re-employment obligation in the parent company SAS Scandinavia. It also responds that SAS will focus all growth on SAS Connect in the future.
SAS has rejected the allegations.
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SAS recently announced an escalation of new hires.
A total of 600 people will be employed by the summer, half of whom will be pilots and cabin crew in the parent company, SAS Scandinavia.
In an interview with DN says Executive Vice President and SAS Norway CEO Kjetil Håbjørg that this should be good news for the unions.
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– Natural departure
Klokset points out that there are a total of 108 pilots in Scandinavia, and that this more or less replaces pension departures and natural departures since the pandemic broke out.
– There is no question of the parent company being put on, but the appointments are made to replace retirement and natural retirement, says the pilot leader.
– But is not it positive?
– In isolation, it is very positive for those who apply. But there are still around 450 pilots left on the street and looking at new companies being made in the new subsidiaries, says Klokset.
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Alerts lawsuits
He informs E24 at NSF and LO has now sent a search notice regarding illegal business transfer. It will be delivered for subpoena next week.
NSF and LO believe that SAS Link and SAS Connect will take over the company, which was previously under SAS Scandinavia.
– It is not a new company, they just take over our routes. They take advantage of fleet renewal, and deploy aircraft from Connect and Link on exactly the same routes, with the same tickets, which are completely separate from SAS Scandinavia, says Klokset.
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– Below the standard
NSF has also called SAS into local negotiations for breach of several points in the collective agreement, including unfair circumvention of agreements and four other matters.
– SAS is of the opinion that we relate to, and act in accordance with, all agreements entered into, says press manager John Eckhoff.
The agreements that SAS has entered into with pilots and the cabin crew in SAS Link and SAS Connect have been entered into with the Aviation Industry Personnel Union (FPU) in Denmark.
– SAS has refused to present to us collective agreements they have entered into with FPU. But we know that the conditions are significantly below the industry standard, says the NSF leader.
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