Portugal ATC Strikes

[Nightstop]

So now the Portuguese ATC are carrying out a series of strikes. They seem to have picked up a few tips from their Spanish ATC neighbours too i.e. No direct routings, fly the full SID & STAR, no Radar vectors to the ILS etc. Thanks guys, you've just joined the Penisula's least respected group of so- called professionals :yuk:

[Blockla]

yawn....:hmm::hmm::hmm::hmm:

[no slots]

Any idea when these strikes are happening? Im flying out on 26 May back on 2 June.:\

[Nightstop]

Portuguese ATC/ATS (NAV EPE) will be on strike on the following days of May: 11, 17, 18, 24, and 25

Mainland and Madeira - Times: from 06:00 to 08:00 UTC; 13:00 to 15:00 UTC and at 20:00 to 22:00 UTC.

Azores - Times: from 06:00 to 08:00 UTC; 13:00 to 15:00 UTC and at 20:00 to 22:00 UTC.
They will only provide minimum services to emergency, military, SAR, firefighting, ambulance and state flights. Plan accordingly and consult the Portugal airport and airspace NOTAMS as well as the local handler for additional information

[asasdouro]

It is because we are very proud, productive and professional controllers that we are striking. We are just defending our company and our country.

It is only in portuguese... but if you can read it, you would be able to understand the reasons why portuguese ATCOs are in strike.

www.grevenavportugal.wordpress.com (http://www.grevenavportugal.wordpress.com)

[FLSV]

It doesn't matter what the text says. Some people have already made up their mind.
I try to understand when Im stranded at an airport because pilots are on strike. At least I know that I don't have the hole picture!!! :ugh:

[babotika]

Just flew to/from Faro and received the excellent service I have always enjoyed.

Well done for standing up for your rights and working professionally at the same time. Would be nice if your neighbours to the east followed your example - working to rule only annoys us pilots, our managers (and yours probably) don't care.

[samotnik]

babotika, but what if somebody has no legal possibilities to perform a normal strike? It's not only Spain.

[Daermon ATC]

As Samotnik has already stated, in some places to be on strike is more a priviledge and not something to take for granted.

As an example, our dearest Aena has an interesting way to allow strikes. Let's say our mayor labour union (which do not have any representativity amon atc staff) agree with the government on a 40% minimum services.
Let's assume that for a specific twr there are 10 atcos hired and there are usually 2 working on any given day. Now our company orders that day 4 atcos to be at work and thus we are granted our right to strike. :ooh:

Yep, we are still part of the european union, I sometimes can't believe it either. :suspect:

[babotika]

I know what happens in Spain isn't personal choice or flippancy on the part of individual atcos - most of the time - but it clearly doesn't work as none of the powerful people who decide things have noticed and all it seems to achieve is bad relations with the people you have to work with - pilots.

[Akhorahil]

If my work was easier with a better relation with the pilots I would try to improve it. But I don´t think so, so Flight plan route assured for a long long long time. As I always say, Eurocontrol suggest it with the Flight plan adherence initiative.
And we have reduced the 47 A class incidents of 2010 with that policy, I think it´s safer also.
Read the first coplain... "fly the full SID or STAR". Then, what are SIDs and STARs for? Sometimes I don´t understand pilots...

[Spitoon]

If my work was easier with a better relation with the pilots I would try to improve it.

Sometimes I don´t understand pilots...Hmmmm.....

[GAPSTER]

SIDs and STARs are twofold....reduce r/t loading when issuing clearances,short term knowledge of pilot action in the event of loss of comms.....

.......not a way to show dissatisfaction with either employers or aircrew.

My sympathies of course lie with my ATC colleagues in Spain but you do yourselves no good by implying that you are taking punitive action against the airlines as a means of protest, by so doing your case is weakened in their eyes like it or not.

[Akhorahil]

I think it´s safer and is also recomended by Eurocontrol.

Flight Plan and ATFCM Adherence (http://es.scribd.com/doc/25351409/Flight-Plan-and-ATFCM-Adherence)

That avoid traffic overloads. Can anyone give me ANY reason to ignore this? A good reason I mean, not "because I will arrive early". When direct routing will be recomended I will change my mind.
And I don´t try to "win" anything with this. My working conditions are clear for the next 20 months and can´t be changed.

Direct routings are available in Madrid at night time, but very very few tfc fill the flight plan requesting a dct route. Why?
Don´t blame the people applying the law, blame those who did it if you don´t like.

[763 jock]

Perhaps you should consider being a little more helpful? Next time you ask if I can change speed or level, I might reply "flight plan only".

It can work both ways.

[babotika]

Direct fuel saving routes are also recommended by Eurocontrol but I don't see Spain implementing them where France and Portugal are miles ahead. I guess it's easier to only read the recommendations that justify your actions though.

Even Maastricht, Eurocontrol's very own ACC gives amazing directs which save tonnes of fuel. Look around and learn.

[lfc84]

any more future dates planned ?

[PitchPitch]

My thoughts exactly babotika and 763 jock....

In my professional opinion, and no personal offense is intended, but Spanish ATC is frankly, awful. I hate going to Madrid Barajas purely for the fact the ATC is infamous for being so awful and inefficient. The only decent controllers in Europe reside in the UK, Holland, Germany and Maastricht Eurocontrol. These guys deserve the money they work for. Try getting paid €1200 a month for flying a commercial jet and then go and complain... On yer bike chaps!

[Topjet]

No offence, but you chose to pay £80k for pilot training to fly around Europe on€1200 a month.....Just like ATCO's chose their careers.

[EBBU]

The only decent controllers in Europe reside in the UK, Holland, Germany and Maastricht Eurocontrol.

I wonder what criteria you use to decide this.
Btw, I think the belgian controllers aren't that bad either...:p

[The Beerhunter]

I wonder what criteria you use to decide this.
Btw, I think the belgian controllers aren't that bad either...:p

Dublin controller taking offence too.

[lfc84]

AFP: Portugal air traffic controllers to stage new strikes (http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hOzI3dJ80OfCU2c5Y7zACqHwIkFg?docId=CNG.b0fb7dc6828ca52 a1572617287430601.391)

Portugal air traffic controllers to stage new strikes
(AFP) – 2 days ago
LISBON — Air traffic controllers in Portugal will stage a series of new partial strikes beginning next week, the latest in a series of actions to protest restructuring, unions said on Friday.
The controllers will stop working for two four-hour periods each day beginning on June 29 until July 3. Previous such strikes in April and May severely disrupted air traffic, with hundreds of flights affected.
The air traffic controllers are protesting at the restructuring of services and budget reductions in the recession-wracked country. They had staged four days of strikes in May and five days in April.
In addition, pilots working for the state TAP company that is due to be privatised before the end of the year as part of an international bailout, will not fly between July 5-8 and August 1-5, said the Spac union that represents civil aviation pilots.
The pilots are demanding that disciplinary procedures undertaken against some of them be dropped and the departure of several members of management.
The strikes will mark the latest against austerity measures in Portugal, which is locked into a three-year programme of debt-cutting measures and economic reforms in return for a 78-billion-euro ($103 billion) rescue package from the EU and International Monetary Fund agreed in May 2011.
Portugal was the third EU country after Greece and Ireland to receive such a bailout.
Previous strikes have included air traffic controllers and public services like garbage collection, ports, schools and transport.

[lfc84]

Potential Portuguese ATC strike action
29th June to 3rd July
easyJet has been advised of potential strike action being taken by Portuguese Air Traffic Controllers from Friday 29th June through to Tuesday 03rd July.
The industrial action, if confirmed, will take place over two time periods of 06:00 to 12:00, and 18:00 to 22:00 local Portuguese time on each of the above days.
We are currently in the process of working on contingency plans and recommend that customers monitor this page from Tuesday 26th June for any flight changes.