An SPAC statement revealed that its members, gathered today in an Extraordinary General Assembly, approved collective support and participation in the general strike scheduled for December 11, in response to the measures outlined in the ‘Trabalho XXI’ draft plan.
The union expressed deep concern from the workforce regarding ongoing labor negotiations in Social Concertation, which include reducing the duration of company agreements, facilitating the expiration of collective agreements, eliminating protections against outsourcing after dismissals, and potentially replacing reinstatement with compensation in cases of unlawful dismissal.
The union argues these measures considerably weaken pilots and other workers.
“SPAC’s leadership believes that its members’ democratic decision sends a clear message of rejection toward the legislative proposals currently under discussion,” it stated.
Therefore, civil aviation pilots “express their full solidarity with all Portuguese workers, joining them on December 11 in common defense of labor rights achieved over decades,” considering it “a cause for all who believe in a fair, dignified, and stable labor market.”
“SPAC calls for calm among all professionals and reinforces that this decision solely aims to defend labor conditions, operational safety, and the integrity of civil aviation pilots’ careers,” it concluded.
The general strike on December 11 has already been approved by the cabin crew represented by the National Union of Civil Aviation Flight Personnel (SNPVAC).
In the meantime, airlines TAP and Sata, along with SPdH, an airport ground handling service provider, have reached agreements with various unions to provide minimum services during the general strike, according to documents published by the Directorate-General for Employment and Labour Relations (DGERT).
Despite not participating in these meetings due to “internal organization and statutory nature,” SPAC assured this week that it “will comply with the minimum services to be established,” emphasizing that the union’s absence from these discussions “should not be interpreted as a principled refusal or any disrespect toward other unions that, within their possibilities, reached agreements with the companies.”
The agreements established so far stipulate that TAP will operate three round-trip flights to the Azores and two to Madeira, as well as round-trip flights to Belgium, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, France, Cape Verde, and Guinea-Bissau. Additionally, there are three round-trip flights planned for Brazil and two for the USA.
For Sata Internacional, nine flights have been agreed upon, covering connections between the mainland and the Autonomous Regions, as well as inter-island connections.
As for the handling company SPdH, which proposed to assist 30% of its client airlines’ flights, it will assist flights covered by TAP and Sata’s minimum services, plus one round-trip flight to Germany operated by Lufthansa. It also ensures assistance for return-to-base flights departing before the strike begins.
The general strike on December 11 was called by CGTP and UGT against the proposed revision of the Labor Code and will mark the first joint stoppage of the two centrals since June 2013, during Portugal’s intervention by the ‘troika’.
