SAS workers call in sick
Labour unions at Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) claim they’re not organizing any strikes or work slowdowns, but an unusual number of employees at SAS Ground Services called in sick on Tuesday. SAS chief executive Mats Jansson wants to focus on core airline activities, and some experts claim he has no choice but to hive off support services. PHOTO: HENRIK MONTGOMERY / SCANPIX |
| Related stories: |
| SAS strike threat looms - 17.12.2007 |
More labour trouble is brewing at the airline which long has suffered from employee unrest. This time the trouble is over SAS management's plans to concentrate on core airline activities and spin off three subsidiaries including Ground Services.
The other two affected units are SAS Technical Services and parts of SAS Cargo. Unions representing their workers fear as many as 10,000 job losses.
SAS' board reportedly was poised to make a decision on the controversial spin-off Monday, but postponed any action until February in the hopes of placating the workers and avoiding labour disruptions during the busy holiday travel season.
More than 20 workers at SAS Ground Services, however, called in sick on Tuesday, "double the number of sick calls than normal," confirmed their representative Hans Jacob Opsahl.
He stressed that the sudden sick calls were not part of any organized work slowdown, claiming instead that the workers are full of anxiety over the job uncertainty an SAS, "and many simply aren't well."
Opsahl told new bureau NTB that SAS passengers shouldn't be too worried. "Everyone will get home for Christmas," he said. "We have no intention of ruining travel plans for the passengers."
SAS Norge reported that flights were on schedule Tuesday, and that management didn't expect "any special problems."
Nina Berglund
No comments:
Post a Comment