UK based pilots got a decent CLA through BALPA, Spanish based pilots just achieved SEPLA recognition
UK based pilots received a decent Collective Labor Agreement with their employer agency, not Norwegian. SEPLA received recognition with the employer agency, not Norwegian.
“Under the Provision of Services of Aircraft Crew Agreement, OSM “manages” labor relations and non-operational performance matters”. The findings of a government agency investigation into the Norwegian/OSM/crewmember relationship may be reviewed by downloading the report at:
https://storage.googleapis.com/dakot...171.1464013583
The recent “bad press” includes the headline; “The family Kjos created pilot chaos”
http://www.dn.no/nyheter/naringsliv/...apte-pilotkaos
“Kjos son-in-law, Stig Kjos-Mathisen, is one of the key people responsible for the airline working seamlessly” - "In February he was promoted to be responsible for crew scheduling in Norwegian” - “He has a special education and has great expertise in sectors including derivatives and advanced calculation models, explains Kjos [to] E24”
http://e24.no/boers-og-finans/norweg...lapse/23733869
After the recent cancellations affecting thousands of passengers due to grossly mismanaged staffing levels, Norwegian may trial an even more “advanced calculation model” called PAWS. This involves placing tuna on a computer keyboard and a cat. The cat moves across the keyboard eating the tuna and paws the keyboard projecting future staffing requirements. If successful, PAWS will also replace the Headless Chicken crew scheduling software currently in use.
But has the pilot union/group/association let the smiling rock ape off the hook once more?
http://e24.no/jobb/norwegian-air-shu...satte/23728667
The pilot representatives may have failed to capitalize on the above court ruling during negotiations to reinstate selling days off and vacation. Norwegian agreed to permanently employ more pilots - but did they? Will these pilots be permanently “employed” by an agency and only temporarily assigned to Norwegian? Why didn’t the union continue the overtime ban until other labor issues were resolved? - an entirely legal option as overtime cannot be mandatory. Immediately after the agreement to end the overtime ban, Kjos declared his contempt for the court ruling:
“Kjos will not allow ruling against Norwegian in district court to stop airline from placing employees in various subsidiaries”
http://e24.no/boers-og-finans/norweg...kevel/23734164
Meanwhile; of the 27 cabin crew “rented out against their will” to fly with Slovakian pilots;
“The conversion course was disorganized, poorly planned and completely unserious. Everyone got approved and issued the certificate before the test was taken. It makes us seriously worried about security” - “We have protested loudly and one has resigned in protest, says one of the Norwegian employees, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of losing their job”
http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/norw...heten/60229786
Norwegian's US permits are still pending approval.