From 3 to 5 December, Syndex and the ETF organised a working seminar in Sesimbra, Portugal, as part of the project Workers’ influence on outsourcing, tender processes and transfer of employment contracts: Watch the gap!
The meeting aimed to reflect on different ways social protection policies in Europe can cover ground handling workers in the event of a staff transfer. Trade union representatives from nine countries attended the seminar and contributed to the discussion.
Participants reported that in some countries, trade unions successfully negotiated collective agreements years ago, and these ensure that the workers concerned keep their jobs and working conditions. However, this approach does not always offer a solution – it only works relatively well in countries where unions are heard and respected. It is a completely different story to try and achieve the same results in countries where unions have difficulty negotiating and obtaining solid social rights in aviation. A solution to such inequality in terms of rights is European social harmonisation towards high standards, social harmonisation that would stop the race to the bottom. It is essential to achieve fair aviation for all.
All participants agreed to proceed step by step and concluded by saying that tangible results should be obtained in some countries in 2020. They agreed to meet again in one year.