Sabena Pilots to Strike Again?
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Sabena Pilots to Strike Again?
From atwonline.com:
Sabena pilots yesterday afternoon were seeking support from three unions to call a
strike. Pilots' organization BeCA is furious at the attempts of CEO Christoph Mueller
to seek renegotiation of an agreement regarding pilots' career planning, seniority (the CSL) and a transport contract with Virgin Express, which ends in 2005. Virgin Express operates services to London Heathrow, Barcelona and Madrid for Sabena. According to BeCA,it is unacceptable that nearly 200 pilots will lose their jobs under Mueller's
reorganization plan while a third party operates flights for Sabena. Cancellation of the Virgin Express contract would be costly (€400 million), which Sabena currently cannot afford.
In other Belgian news...
City Bird could be acquired by Thomas Cook, according to the management of the Belgian entity of the British tour operator. "It would be untrue to say we have no interest in City Bird," said Wim Desmet, chief executive of Thomas Cook Belgium. "Vertical integration is a reality in most parts of our group while Brussels is an important airport in our operations." City Bird, in receivership since early July, has until Sept. 26 to present a restructuring plan to the Brussels Commercial Court. More than 200 of 665 jobs will have to go at the airline, which last week started the collective redundancy procedure.
Meanwhile, it appears the other Belgian charter carrier, Sobelair, soon could change
owners. According to suggestions in the Belgian press, German travel group Preussag, which yesterday announced a rebranding of all its European travel entities to TUI, is to purchase the 72.42% Sobelair stake held by Sabena.
Sabena pilots yesterday afternoon were seeking support from three unions to call a
strike. Pilots' organization BeCA is furious at the attempts of CEO Christoph Mueller
to seek renegotiation of an agreement regarding pilots' career planning, seniority (the CSL) and a transport contract with Virgin Express, which ends in 2005. Virgin Express operates services to London Heathrow, Barcelona and Madrid for Sabena. According to BeCA,it is unacceptable that nearly 200 pilots will lose their jobs under Mueller's
reorganization plan while a third party operates flights for Sabena. Cancellation of the Virgin Express contract would be costly (€400 million), which Sabena currently cannot afford.
In other Belgian news...
City Bird could be acquired by Thomas Cook, according to the management of the Belgian entity of the British tour operator. "It would be untrue to say we have no interest in City Bird," said Wim Desmet, chief executive of Thomas Cook Belgium. "Vertical integration is a reality in most parts of our group while Brussels is an important airport in our operations." City Bird, in receivership since early July, has until Sept. 26 to present a restructuring plan to the Brussels Commercial Court. More than 200 of 665 jobs will have to go at the airline, which last week started the collective redundancy procedure.
Meanwhile, it appears the other Belgian charter carrier, Sobelair, soon could change
owners. According to suggestions in the Belgian press, German travel group Preussag, which yesterday announced a rebranding of all its European travel entities to TUI, is to purchase the 72.42% Sobelair stake held by Sabena.
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Although I can appreciate the fact that it is a bit sour for SN pilots to see a contract with another airline while some of their jobs might go. What I cannot understand is that they are willing to sacrifice all the jobs at SN!! To strike now is the most stupid thing to do..
The laughing third party whatever the outcoming (and rightly so I think) is Virgin Express:
Scenario 1. SN strikes and SN folds: Virgin will be the main operator at Brussel.
Scenario 2. SN gives in to demands. Pays Virgin the money and will fold anyway.
The best scenario is that the SN pilots accept that they are working for a too expensive airline (with Ryanair in their back yard as well!!)and that some sacrifices have to be made rather than that the whole company is blown up...
Belgium.. Nice beer.. but that is about it..
The laughing third party whatever the outcoming (and rightly so I think) is Virgin Express:
Scenario 1. SN strikes and SN folds: Virgin will be the main operator at Brussel.
Scenario 2. SN gives in to demands. Pays Virgin the money and will fold anyway.
The best scenario is that the SN pilots accept that they are working for a too expensive airline (with Ryanair in their back yard as well!!)and that some sacrifices have to be made rather than that the whole company is blown up...
Belgium.. Nice beer.. but that is about it..
