BACKGROUND: Strike could drag on
HS answers five basic questions about Finnair strike
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Why did the union start the strike?
The main reason was a dispute over the outsourcing of flight activities. “We demand that the flight decks of Finnair planes should have Finnair pilots” is something that Kristian Rintala, President of the Finnish Air Line Pilots Association (SLL), has said repeatedly in recent days.
The strike began on Monday because it was the day that the first Finnair plane with a trainer pilot of the Austrian airline Niki and a Finncomm pilot in training on the flight deck.
On the way, SLL and the management side have also had sharp disagreements on pensions and pay, but those disputes have been settled. For instance, SLL has said that it would agree to cuts of 20 per cent in the costs of flight activities. The union would even have accepted the outsourcing of two Embraer aircraft to Finncom. SLL then wanted guarantees that there would be no further outsourcing, but the airline has refused to make any such commitments.
2. Why is outsourcing such a difficult matter for the pilots?
The pilots are afraid that in the future, flight operations will be given to the lowest bidder, which would not employ the current members of SLL. The mediation proposal rejected by the union would have given guarantees that no further outsourcing would take place. Finnair felt that the job security was exceptionally good, but the pilots did not feel that it was good enough.
Outgoing CEO Jukka Hienonen certainly did not ease the fears of the pilots on Monday when he said that leasing Finnair’s entire fleet worth a billion euros to outsiders would bring the airline profits of a million euros, whereas Finnair is operating at a loss of 200 million euros this year. The move would mean an end to the work of nearly 9000 Finnair employees.
3. Have Finnair’s competitors outsourced their flight operations?
Nearly all traditional network airlines of Finnair’s type are in serious difficulties. Tough negotiations are being held at least at SAS and Lufthansa. Nevertheless, none have resorted to cut-rate pilots. Nearly anyone can learn to fly, but the solid bedrock of an airline - air safety - comes from a safety culture established over a long time through hard work.
Occasional free-lance pilots do not suit this culture well. Domestic pilots are also part of the corporate image of many airlines.
How easily could outsourcing take place?
There are available pilots available, but getting them onto Finnair flight decks would require intense training.
How long will the strike last?
It could be worryingly long, if the ranks of the pilots stay intact. Outsourcing has been the topic of negotiations for the past two years - to no avail.
The company insists that it has the right to decide on how its means of production are used, while the pilots claim the right to man the airline’s flight decks.
Rintala has called the situation an “existential” struggle over existence. Disputes of such intensity are rarely resolved very quickly.
More on this subject:
 Finnair puts up thousands of passengers in hotels
Previously in HS International Edition:
National Conciliator presents mediation proposal for Finnair pilots (13.11.2009)
Links:
Pilots´strike forces cancellation of hundreds of Finnair flights (16.11.2009)
Finnair website: information on pilots’ strike
Helsingin Sanomat
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