MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Major Brazilian airline pilots, flight attendants announce daily stoppage

The National Union of Airline Companies (SNEA) has extended a comprehensive proposal to the labor grouping, which is yet to deliver an answer

Brazilian airline pilots and flight attendants have announced a large-scale indefinite strike for next Monday which will paralyze for 2 hours the country's major carriers and their operations at the main air terminals, the National Union of Aeronauts (SNA) announced.

The strike is to be staged between 6 am to 8 am, at airports in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Campinas, Porto Alegre, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, and Fortaleza, it was reported. The measure is expected to have a cascade effect on the airlines' schedules for the rest of the day with additional delays and possible cancellations of flights.

The union said the strike was motivated by the “frustration of the negotiations of the renewal of the Collective Labor Convention” which is still under discussion. The strike will not affect flights with organs for transplant, vaccines, or patients in medical care, the SNA stressed.

The companies are demanding an adjustment for inflationary losses, in addition to an actual gain in wages and benefits. The union argues that the high prices of airline tickets have increased profits for employers.

Between January and October this year, the average price of tickets rose 35%, according to the National Wide Consumer Price Index (IPCA).

Professionals in the airline industry are also demanding improvements in working conditions for the renewal of the Collective Labor Agreement, such as the definition of schedules for the beginning of leaves of absence and the prohibition of changes thereto, in addition to compliance with the existing minimum ground time between flights.

“It is important to point out that the companies themselves point out in their reports to the market, as well as in the news published in the press, that the airline industry has been recovering quickly, with higher profits than in the pre-pandemic period. In addition, the demand for airline tickets has increased and the prices imposed on passengers have risen dramatically. However, the airlines remain intransigent, refusing to grant more decent pay to crew members, and proposing that pilots and flight attendants work longer hours. The pilots and flight attendants in Brazil count on the understanding of society and the common sense of the airlines to avoid disruption,” the SNA said in a statement.

The National Union of Airline Companies (SNEA) has extended a comprehensive proposal to the labor grouping, which is yet to deliver an answer.

(Source: Agencia Brasil)