Carrier Terminated President Of The Colombian Pilots' Union

The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) condemns the union busting conduct of Avianca Airlines management who terminated the President of the Colombian Pilots’ Union (Acdac), for carrying out his legitimate union activities. The union says it believes that Avianca management is planning similar discipline for many more pilots in retaliation for supporting their union.

Captain Ron Abel, IFALPA President, stated that this outrageous anti-union conduct cannot be tolerated. Avianca pilots and workers are being denied their basic human right to collectively bargain salary and working conditions and not to be subject to discrimination based on union membership.

This behavior, in our view, also violates the Labor Action Plan in the current U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement and the International Labor Organization Fundamental Conventions 87 & 98 that Colombia has ratified, which protect the rights of workers to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in industrial action.

IFALPA is also concerned that the “non-punitive” or “Positive Safety Culture” recommendation from The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a United Nations Specialized Agency, has been undermined by the actions of Avianca management. Flight Safety is a pilot’s number one priority. Distractions, concerns about employment status, and difficult relationships with the employer, can adversely impact a pilot’s focus on his primary function, the safe operation of the aircraft.

IFALPA urges Avianca management to change its course and work to regain the trust of its pilots in order to reestablish a Positive Safety Culture environment.

Captain Abel has pledged the full support of IFALPA to the Avianca pilots represented by Acdac to reinstate them to their positions with no retaliation by Avianca management. IFALPA will be communicating with the appropriate Colombian government officials to seek their intervention and bring this unfortunate matter to a mutually satisfactory conclusion.

(Source: IFALPA news release)

FMI: www.ifalpa.org