Finnair and Blue1 flight attendants threaten strike in March
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The Finnish airlines Finnair and Blue1 could face a strike by flight attendants next month. Discussions on a new incomes agreement broke down on Thursday, and no new discussions are scheduled.
The Finnish Cabin Crew Union (SLSY) said that it would issue a strike warning on Friday. If the strike begins on March 12th, it would ground most flights by the two airlines.
Finnair estimates that it might be able to fly nearly half of its flights with management personnel filling in for flight attendants.
Safety regulations require that passenger planes must have at least one flight attendant for every 50 passengers.
The dispute between SLSY and Finnair concerns pay, working hours, and the number of foreign cabin crew on flights to Asia. SLSY also wants a binding contract for the whole sector.
Finnair is hoping for a 15% reduction in costs. One of the ways to achieve this goal would be to reduce the resting periods between flights. Eero Salovuori, the head of Finnair's personnel department, says that the move would amount to an increase in average weekly working hours to 30 from the present average of 25.
The average length of the working week for flight attendants is reduced by the two to four days that flight crew spend at the destinations of long-haul routes.
Finnair also wants separate contracts for scheduled flights and holiday charter flights.
"We are ready to raise wages by the amount called for in the broad-based incomes agreement, and to restrict the number of foreign crew members per flight to the present level if we reach agreement on the other matters", Salovuori says.
The employees feel that the plans amount to a cut in pay.
"Finnair's result was in the millions last year, and Blue1 made a profit in the last quarter. It is inconceivable that they want to cut pay", said SLSY chairman Mauri Koskenniemi on Thursday.
"We have clear evidence that foreign workers are paid less, and have worse terms of employment, they push down wages and take jobs away from Finns", Koskenniemi adds.
He notes that contract talks in the aviation sector are always difficult. Finnair's flight attendants were last on strike in 1989, but the stoppage lasted only three hours.
"Now management demands are such that we are ready to shut down air services."
The Finnish Cabin Crew Union has nearly 1,900 members. Over 90% of them work for Finnair or Blue1.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 25.2.2005 - TODAY |
 Finnair and Blue1 flight attendants threaten strike in March
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