airports
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in transport and distribution around the world.
Belgium: Aviapartner workers strike after fatal accident.
After a fatal accident last wednesday airport workers in Ostende went on a wildcat strike.
A spokesman for Aviapartner, the airport management company stated that all workers would return to work by tomorrow morning after an agreement was reached. Managament agreed to increase the number of stuff on duty and to increased safety measures with dangerous substances.
France: wildcat strike at Airbus plant in Méaulte
French workers at Airbus and one of its sub-contractors have launched wildcat strikes after a plan for job losses across Europe was unveiled.
Workers in Méaulte have been on strike since midday last Tuesday. After rumours concerning their future some 1,300 Airbus workers and 700 on-site subcontracted employees voted for strike action. Their union, Force Ouvriere, called on them to wait for the official announcement before a strike vote.
Guernsey: Airport staff win union recognition with wildcat strike
Over 30 security workers with Group 4 Securicor stopped work on Tuesday and blocked Guernsey airport's departure lounge until bosses signed a recognition agreement with the T&G.
Airlines Flybe and Aurigny were affected by the disruption as flights were grounded for an hour.
Thisisguernsey.com reported on the anger of airport bosses that the surprise action provoked, although for the workers the action rapidly achieved its goals.
Their article stated: AIRPORT security staff who went on strike yesterday have been accused of holding passengers to ransom.
Spontaneous walkouts hit Airbus across Europe
1,000 workers downed tools in Germany's Laupheim Airbus plant yesterday as other wildcat walkouts occurred across France and Germany as huge job cuts were announced.
The BBC reported that Protests have taken place at Airbus plants for a second day after it announced huge job cuts, while future strike action remains possible.
About 1,000 workers stopped work at the Laupheim plant in southern Germany, in protest at the aviation firm's decision to consider selling the site.
Union call off BA strike action
A planned three-day strike by thousands of British Airways cabin crew has been called off by the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G).
Marathon talks between BA and the T&G had been going on to try to avert the stoppages on Tuesday and Wednesday. BA executives and union leaders said an agreement had been reached on the key issues of pay, pensions and the management of sickness absence. BA will now attempt to reinstate as many flights as possible. Two potential 72-hour strikes earmarked for February have also been called off.
British Airways cabin crew to strike
British Airways cabin crew are to hold a three-day strike from the 29th to the 31st of January following the break down of negotiations over a range of industrial relations difficulties with the company.
The strike follows an overwhelming 96.1% vote for industrial action (on an 80 per cent turnout) in a ballot of the more than 11,000 cabin crew, the result of which was announced last week.
Unfriendly skies - The air traffic controllers' sick-out, 1969
Short article about the 1969 mass calling-in sick strike of air traffic controllers in the US over wages and conditions, and the new union of the workers, the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization.
Two days after Nixon broke the letter carriers' strike the air traffic controllers walked off their jobs and stayed out for three weeks. The controllers called in sick, attempting to avoid the still legal penalties for striking.
The 2005 Northwest Airlines strike
A short history, account and analysis of the 2005 strike of mechanics and cleaners at Northwest Airlines against cuts in jobs, wages and benefits, and the lessons it holds for workers in future.
Our perspective... was simple: “What will it take to win this strike?”
German airline hit by wildcat strike
Workers at Condor Berlin last week walked out for four hours in an unofficial strike against a new work schedule.
Condor Berlin, a Condor Airlines subsidiary, was hit On Thursday 14 December and five flights were affected.
Atwonline.com claimed that the action was organised by the ver.di union.
Ver.di and Condor management have restarted talks that were suspended in February 2005. The carrier wants its 240 cabin staff to transfer to a flight-hour system from a daily work schedule.
More strikes in Israel
Following our report of teachers' and baggage handlers' strikes in Israel at the end of last month, there have been further strikes involving civil servants, bank, university and airport workers this month.
Workers were on strike at 25 branches of the First International Bank of Israel at the begining of November over changes since a merger with Bank Otsar Hahayal. They walked out again on the 21st after workers were suspended following accusations that they leaked details of investigations into the newly appointed bank supervisor to the media, this aggravated the ongoing wage dispute.
