The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and the United Services Union (ver.di) welcome the proposal of the incoming German government to push the EU towards a minimum price for airline tickets and call on the incoming German government to ensure that the protection and creation of social standards in the airline industry is a determining part of this initiative.
“Deregulation and the enormous cut-throat competition of recent decades have hit employees and their social standards in wages and working conditions hard. The future German government has a responsibility to change this by introducing a strong social component in minimum prices,” emphasized Christine Behle, ver.di vice chairwoman.
For many years, she said, the ETF, as the European federation for transport workers, has been campaigning for the introduction of a “fair pricing system” in the airline industry, which must take into account the social and environmental costs of travel. “We have been fighting in Europe for years for binding social standards and against the employment model of the low-cost airlines,” Behle continues, referring to the European low-cost airlines, which lure passengers with low prices without regard for employees, passengers and the environment.
ETF and ver.di are convinced that it is the task of all to improve social standards of aircrews and ground staff by introducing fair ticket prices, to focus on social and ecological aspects, and secure established tariff standards.
ETF Acting General Secretary, Livia Spera, gave her support to the proposal. She stated, “a minimum price for flights has the potential to provide security for workers, and ensure that their jobs and working conditions can be protected in the future.” She added that “a fair social price will provide much-needed support to aviation workers, who have suffered throughout this pandemic.”
You can find the German version of the text here.
