hongkongfooey
23rd Apr 2009, 09:34
SIA, pilots in no-pay leave deadlock
Posted On: 23 Apr 2009
Singapore Airlines and its pilots' union are still at loggerheads over the issue of no-pay leave to cut costs, weeks after negotiations began.
Now, SIA has asked the Manpower Ministry (MOM) to step in and mediate. At the heart of the dispute: The number of no-pay leave days pilots should take a month.
SIA, which is parking planes and slashing capacity amid a sharp business downturn, wants captains to take three days off and first officers, four. The Air Line Pilots Association-Singapore (Alpa-S) says no.
Its case is that other managers and executives in the company are being asked to take just one day off a month, either from their annual leave or as no-pay leave.
If SIA wants pilots to do more, then it is only right that some form of restitution be made when times are better, union president P. James said.
He said: “We have proposed to the company that pilots be put on the same scheme as other managers and ground staff, but this has been rejected. We have no issues with taking one day off a month. Anything more than that, and we should negotiate the terms.”
An SIA spokesman would only say that the company is still in discussions with Alpa-S and will work with the union towards reaching an agreement.
A MOM spokesman, meanwhile, told The Straits Times yesterday: “MOM will be meeting up with SIA and the Air Line Pilots Association-Singapore soon with the aim of resolving their matter amicably.”
The dispute with the pilots has the potential to scuttle agreements made with other SIA employees.
Earlier this month, the airline put its senior management staff on the compulsory leave scheme. It said then that the scheme would be extended to all managers from May 1.
In-principle agreement has also been reached with its other two unions - Singapore Airlines Staff Union and the Airline Executive Staff Union - for other ground workers and cabin crew to be put on the shorter work month scheme from May 1.
But this is subject to a deal being struck with the pilots as well. If SIA and its pilots cannot see eye to eye soon, it is unlikely that the company will be able to introduce the shorter work month scheme next month, The Straits Times understands.
This is not the first time both sides, which have a long history of industrial disputes, have been at odds. Relations hit rock bottom in 2003, when the travel slump caused by Sars led the airline to cut wages, and unhappy Alpa-S members decided to oust their union leaders.
The episode prompted then-Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew to step in and make his now-famous comment that 'broken heads' would result if nothing was done to stem the tension between both sides.
Earlier this month, SIA Cargo - the airline's cargo arm - asked MOM for help when it could not agree with Alpa-S on several employment terms. The issue has been resolved successfully.
Meanwhile, falling traffic numbers continue to savage the airline, prompting industry watchers to say job cuts are inevitable. Last month, SIA carried just 1.28 million passengers, a 23 per cent drop compared to March last year. Given slowing business, SIA has said it will cut capacity by 11 per cent over the next 12 months.
So I'm guessing they would'nt be too happy with the deal a lot of us seem to be bending over backward to take :confused:
Posted On: 23 Apr 2009
Singapore Airlines and its pilots' union are still at loggerheads over the issue of no-pay leave to cut costs, weeks after negotiations began.
Now, SIA has asked the Manpower Ministry (MOM) to step in and mediate. At the heart of the dispute: The number of no-pay leave days pilots should take a month.
SIA, which is parking planes and slashing capacity amid a sharp business downturn, wants captains to take three days off and first officers, four. The Air Line Pilots Association-Singapore (Alpa-S) says no.
Its case is that other managers and executives in the company are being asked to take just one day off a month, either from their annual leave or as no-pay leave.
If SIA wants pilots to do more, then it is only right that some form of restitution be made when times are better, union president P. James said.
He said: “We have proposed to the company that pilots be put on the same scheme as other managers and ground staff, but this has been rejected. We have no issues with taking one day off a month. Anything more than that, and we should negotiate the terms.”
An SIA spokesman would only say that the company is still in discussions with Alpa-S and will work with the union towards reaching an agreement.
A MOM spokesman, meanwhile, told The Straits Times yesterday: “MOM will be meeting up with SIA and the Air Line Pilots Association-Singapore soon with the aim of resolving their matter amicably.”
The dispute with the pilots has the potential to scuttle agreements made with other SIA employees.
Earlier this month, the airline put its senior management staff on the compulsory leave scheme. It said then that the scheme would be extended to all managers from May 1.
In-principle agreement has also been reached with its other two unions - Singapore Airlines Staff Union and the Airline Executive Staff Union - for other ground workers and cabin crew to be put on the shorter work month scheme from May 1.
But this is subject to a deal being struck with the pilots as well. If SIA and its pilots cannot see eye to eye soon, it is unlikely that the company will be able to introduce the shorter work month scheme next month, The Straits Times understands.
This is not the first time both sides, which have a long history of industrial disputes, have been at odds. Relations hit rock bottom in 2003, when the travel slump caused by Sars led the airline to cut wages, and unhappy Alpa-S members decided to oust their union leaders.
The episode prompted then-Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew to step in and make his now-famous comment that 'broken heads' would result if nothing was done to stem the tension between both sides.
Earlier this month, SIA Cargo - the airline's cargo arm - asked MOM for help when it could not agree with Alpa-S on several employment terms. The issue has been resolved successfully.
Meanwhile, falling traffic numbers continue to savage the airline, prompting industry watchers to say job cuts are inevitable. Last month, SIA carried just 1.28 million passengers, a 23 per cent drop compared to March last year. Given slowing business, SIA has said it will cut capacity by 11 per cent over the next 12 months.
So I'm guessing they would'nt be too happy with the deal a lot of us seem to be bending over backward to take :confused: