The government, Aerolíneas Argentinas, the Clara aeronautical chamber and the union of the Argentine Aeronautical Association (AAA) have signed a collective labor agreement which aims to regulate the activity of all cabin crew working in Argentina, regardless of whether whether or not he is affiliated with that union. The initiative conflicts with the unions of low-cost airlines, who have spoken out to reject the agreement.
The agreement, signed on Thursday at the Ministry of Labour, provides that it includes “all personnel who cover the role of passenger cabin crew of regular air transport companies” operating in the country.
He also points out that for the work activity of cabin crew “the Argentine Aeronautical Association (AAA) is recognized, in the light of its union Personería 236, as only representative trade union body of the Passenger Cabin Staff”.
This agreement is the second of its kind that the Government is promoting with conventional aviation unionsto the detriment of “per-company” unions that the Cambiemos government authorized between 2018 and 2019 to group employees of “low cost” airlines.
Now, the boards of directors of companies Flybondi and JetSmart, the only ones of the low cost type still operating in Argentina, they rejected the deal in a statement accusing the government of trying to “limit” trade union rights and leave them “out of work at the express request of the traditional aviation unions”.
Low-cost unions say Olmos “challenges the workers” of low-cost airlines.
“The Minister refuses to receive the union representatives of low-cost airline workers, democratically elected in free elections, ignoring our request for a hearing and the approval of collective agreements of company”, they raised in the text.
They point out that, on the other hand, Olmos “convenes unions without any representation in the low-cost field to joint negotiations with unusual speed”.
“Thus, the Minister ignores reality, violates the legal framework of freedom of association, and it gives low-wage workers a conventional framework and union representation that they themselves reject”, they stressed.
“Our rights are violated by those who should protect and defend them… this is ‘the paradox of Argentina’…. DEGRETABLE!!!”, they added.
Strong criticism against official organizations and associations of pilots and airmen
In the press release, the representatives of low-cost workers also spoke for the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC) and the Supervisory Body of the National Airport System (ORSNA).
In this sense, they have labeled the official organizations of “La Cámpora political boxes” which in the past “ordered the closure of El Palomar airport” to “try to destroy” the sources of employment.
In another passage of strong criticism of traditional trade unions, they underlined that “the associations of pilots and airmen, which they parasitize the state flag line and take away the state with immoral subsidiesintend to bring low cost airlines to their knees, imposing “DISPARATE” working conditions in complicity with the National Government”.
“Far from fighting for the maintenance and growth of sources of work, both the Ministry and traditional unions have been busy shutting down airlines, one after the other: LATAM, ANDES, AVIANCA, NORWEGIAN, LAPA, SOL, DINAR, SOUTHERN WINDS, and we can continue to count…”, they explained, specifying that the Flybondi and JetSmart workers “we will not follow that path and we will resist “.
Finally, the low-cost unions warned to meet in a state of assembly and mobilization “in repudiation of the CCTs of APLA and AAA, demanding the recognition of our union statute and the approval of our own collective labor agreements”.
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Source: Clarin
