Colombian Carrier Fired Pilots Who Had Been On Strike

Boeing is being accused of providing strikebreakers to Avianca Airline in Colombia to replace pilots who were fired while they were engaged in a labor action against the airline.

Forbes reports that Boeing has sent a handful of pilots to fly Avianca's Dreamliners on international routes after the carrier fired about 100 pilots to took part in a seven-week strike that ended in November. At least one of the pilots sent by Boeing was terminated for refusing to work in place of the strikers.

Boeing says that the pilots are not company employees. They are contractors working for a company that supplies pilots to Boeing. Boeing spokesman Charles Bickers said that the pilots flying for Avianca are "employees of a purchased services supplier, and we don’t discuss supplier personnel matters." The contractor is located in the Isle of Man in the British Isles. The company advertised the positions in a circular that stated the pay was $547.95 per day, and applicants "must have no issues with union busting or strike breaking.”

The move was challenged by ALPA, APA and SPEEA and the Colombian Association of Civil Aviators (ACDAC), which represents the Avianca pilots.

Todd Insler, chairman of the United chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association, wrote a letter to Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg on March 28 stating "Whether intentional or not, Boeing has essentially provided strikebreakers to Avianca Colombia, thus aiding and abetting the egregious actions of Avianca Colombia management.”

Jaime Hernandez, president of ACDAC, said that the pilots wear Boeing uniforms and are "the pilots Boeing offered when they sold the aircraft.

Avianca said in a prepared statement that the Superior Tribunal of Bogota and the Colombian Supreme Court had declared that the strike was illegal. “One of the consequences of illegally conducting an illegal strike is that the contracts of individuals who participated in it may be terminated as a result of disciplinary proceedings that safeguard the right of defense, which is what Avianca is doing,” the airline said.

“The government of Colombia, through the aviation authority and in accordance with Colombian regulations, authorized Avianca to temporarily use up to 12 foreign pilots in its Boeing 787 operation.

“The support provided by the Boeing pilots will allow Avianca to promote dozens of Colombian pilots to the wide body fleet,” the statement said. A” strong operation will continue to provide Avianca captains with the best salaries and benefits in the country and increase the demand for new pilots.”

(Image from file)

FMI: Original report