Cargolux says union action is illegal

(CS/aa/ks) Luxembourg airline Cargolux is considering legal action after a quarter of its flights were left delayed by pilots declaring themselves unfit to fly en masse.

Over a quarter of crew members on Thursday said they were unfit to fly, leaving a number of flights grounded in the morning. Cargolux in the afternoon said that 76 percent of flights were operating normally.

The freight airline also slammed allegations by the LCGB labour union that it was operating under conditions compromising flight safety. Citing audits by the Luxembourg Civil Aviation Authority, the International Air Transport Association and the European Aviation Safety Agency, Cargolux said it "complies with all applicable regulations and also all safety processes are up to date and following industry practices."

Cargolux said that it had received court confirmation that Thursday's protest was illegal. "Earlier today, a court ordered the immediate stoppage of the action," a statement issued by Cargolux said. "Based on today's court order, Cargolux will claim compensation for the harm suffered as a result of the disruption of its business."

Negotiations for a new collective work agreement between airline management and labour unions is still ongoing in a conciliation procedure. Cargolux said that the LCGB cannot carry out this type of action while the talks are ongoing and a valid collective work agreement is in place.

"LCGB's unlawful industrial action and its ongoing negative campaign against Cargolux are based on misleading statements, deceiving not only the public but also Cargolux's employees and LCGB's own members," the statement continued.

No strike action, says union

The LCGB meanwhile commented that the protest on Thursday was not a warning strike, explaining that the union had never called for a strike. Rather, it called the refusal of pilots to work an “action d'avertissement”, a warning action, to alert management to the seriousness of the situation.

LCGB president Patrick Dury said he was not aware of a court ruling, questioning the ground on which Cargolux is seeking to claim damages.

The background of the dispute, according to the union, is a loss of trust and concerns over flight safety.

Union spokesperson Aloyse Kapweiler argued that the pilot who carried out a wing-wave manoeuvre was not held to account by management, while pilots on sick leave were spied on to collect evidence for a termination of contract.

Kapweiler said that the union wants more transparency in disciplinary issues and for staff delegations to gain more access to the decision-making process. He added that requests had been denied, with management citing confidentiality issues.

According to the LCGB a majority of pilots spoke out in favour of union action. In case of a lack of constructive feedback from Cargolux, the union intends to continue with similar actions until flight safety is once again fully ensured.