The process of awarding ground handling licenses at Lisbon, Porto, and Faro airports, managed by the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC), is under scrutiny after Menzies, formerly Groundforce, lost its license renewal bid.
In a statement released today, three unions—SIA (Aviation Industry Union), SQAC (Commercial Aviation Union), and SINTAC (National Union of Civil Aviation Workers)—announced they had met with Minister of Infrastructure Miguel Pinto Luz to stress that “replacing Menzies without a rigorous transition plan could lead to operational disruptions, worker demotivation, and loss of ‘know-how’,” potentially affecting “the normal functioning of Portuguese airports with direct impact on tourism and the national economy”.
The unions urge for a “prompt, transparent, and responsible decision” from ANAC to “ensure sector stability, worker protection, and the national public interest”.
During their meeting with the government, the unions addressed concerns over what they perceive as a lack of transparency in the selection criteria for operators, the social and labor impact of potentially replacing Menzies, the need to guarantee job retention and ensure operational continuity at major airports (Lisbon, Porto, and Faro).
The unions stated that Menzies has made every effort to maintain social and operational stability, but a lack of decision by November 19 (when the licenses expire) and even a potential extension of the licenses for another year “would place the company and workers in a legal and negotiation void”, compromising labor agreements, commitments made during insolvency proceedings, and planned investments by Menzies.
Various aviation unions have expressed concern about the workforce implications of Menzies losing its license after the preliminary report of the tender, seen by Lusa, gave Clece/South, part of the Iberia group, a score of 95.2523, while Menzies (formerly Groundforce) received 93.0526. Menzies has announced it will appeal the decision.
Today, in their statement, unions SAI, SQAC, and SINTAC also asserted that if Clece/South becomes the new operator, “the government must ensure the transferability of all employment contracts and acquired rights, ensuring full protection for all workers”.
The unions questioned the government on whether it is considering reviewing or auditing the license granting process and inquired about the measures planned to protect the workers’ acquired rights. They also asked how this decision could affect TAP (as it holds a stake in Menzies).
Menzies is the largest ground handling company at Portuguese airports, employing 3,500 workers.
