Three-Day Strike Announced By Union
An impending three-day strike at
Cyprus Airways could affect over 100 flights and 12,000 air
passengers. Cyprus Airway's largest union CYNIKA announced the
24-hour strike for December 12 and a 48 hour strike on December
17-18 after failing to reach an agreement. The announcement flooded
its telephone lines with questions from concerned travelers. The
airline said the strike will ruin them financially but it was
examining how to deal with passenger travel, to ease the
situation.
One of the options included leasing other jets to assist in
carrying out scheduled flights, but that would cost the airline
hundreds of thousands of dollars. The airline's board met to
examine what could be done. "All possibilities are being examined,"
said Cyprus Airways spokesman Kyriacos Kyriacou. He added that the
airline's other unions, including pilots, engineers and cabin crew
were not on strike, and they could help continue operations.
"Our aim is to do as much as possible to serve the public with
the minimum of disruption," he said. There was no comment about
calling off the strikes, despite an attempt with the Labor
Minister, in an effort to settle the dispute over job
transfers.
"We expect a majority in favor," said CYNIKA head Andreas
Pierides. "They were ready to go out on strike last week but we
told them it must be done in accordance with industrial
procedures." The upset is over Cyprus Airway's plans to outsource
ground handling services at the airports to Swissport & GAP
Vassilopoulos. The airline a national carrier says no jobs will be
lost, and it will cut costs, and be able to better carry out its
services more effectively.
The company says $4.07 million could be saved yearly. As many as
140 employees would be affected by the shift but Cyprus says their
jobs and benefits would be stable. Employees fear their jobs would
be shifted to a joint venture company.
The union said the first paragraph of the agreement states
that, "140 people would not be employees of Cyprus Airways as
of May 1, 2008." Workers will not agree to this, according to
Pierides.
"We want to continue to be regarded as Cyprus Airways employees.
This is the minimum we will accept," he said. In the joint venture,
Cyprus Air would hold over 25 per cent of shares, giving it a
strong voice, in a new contract offered by airport operator Hermes,
who has said it wants more competitive ground handling next
spring.
Now, Cyprus Airways performs about 20-25 per cent of the total
work they wish with Swissport, obtaining the venture agreements
wins one of the two licenses being offered by Hermes.