For years now it has been apparent that Norwegian Air Shuttle has been using anti-union and union-busting tactics. In the pre-pandemic years the Air Shuttle bosses wanted a name list of Swedish pilots which the relevant Swedish trade union refused to supply, fearing reprisals. The Norwegian Air Shuttle has for years been using bankruptcy as a threat; if your members do not do this or that Norwegian Air Shuttle will go bankrupt. During the pandemic they laid off 7,300 workers, with some rehired on worse working conditions. So, when it was announced on 8th October that Norwegian Air Shuttle has decided to close its bases in Stavanger and Trondheim, as part of a so-called cost-saving measure, it was not a big shock for trade unionists.
The pilots’ union, Parat, has expressed strong dissatisfaction with Norwegian Air Shuttle’s decision to close its bases. The management linked the closure of the bases to collective agreements, promising not to shut them down if all employees agreed to work eighteen extra days per year without additional pay or compensation. Alf Hansen from the Norwegian Pilot Union criticized this, stating that the company is now blaming the union representatives for the closures. He also mentioned that they have not received proper documentation, only claims, which they perceive as a renegotiation of wages and working hours.
The unions highlight that many pilots and cabin crew are upset and are protesting over the move. For many workers, this means potentially relocating to Oslo, which could have significant impacts on their families.
According to Rene-Charles Gustavsen, the leader of Norwegian Cabin Workers Union, some workers might have to move with their partners and children, while others may need to find new jobs or live apart from their families.
Alf Hansen from the Norwegian Pilot Union has criticized Norwegian Air Shuttle’s management for offering to keep the bases open if all employees agreed to work 18 extra days per year without additional pay or compensation. He finds this proposal unacceptable, especially since new collective agreements for cabin and pilot staff were recently settled. Hansen feels that the company has already decided on the closures and is not engaging in genuine dialogue.
The Norwegian Air Shuttle’s communications director, Esben Tuman, acknowledged the demanding situation for employees and emphasized that while everyone will be offered the chance to relocate, the commuting challenges are understood.
The union, Parat, has expressed anger and frustration over Norwegian Air Shuttle’s decision to close its bases in Stavanger and Trondheim. This move affects 250 employees. Leaders from the Norwegian Pilot Union (NPU) and Norwegian Cabin Workers Union, Alf Hansen and Rene-Charles Gustavsen, respectively, have criticized the management for making this decision without genuine dialogue with the workers. Hansen emphasized that this decision comes shortly after new collective agreements was reached with cabin and pilot staff, making it even more unacceptable.
Lessons of the conflict
The trade unions need access to the company accounts, to show if this is just another profit-making scheme. The general trade unions alliance (LO) needs to be involved, as a job lost is a loss to all!
Norwegian Air Shuttle and SAS Norway should be nationalized under democratic workers’ control and management and a merger of the wo . It makes no sense to have two companies running the same routes and the taxpayers handing out big sums to stop bankruptcies. Much of this money becomes huge stock share outs or golden handshakes.
The trade unions must fight the cuts and closures and fight for:
A 30-hour working week, without loss of pay
For workers’/trade unions’ led mass campaigns to reverse climate change and for fully integrated public transport that is affordable and environmentally sustainable
Workers would welcome all these sorts of measures, alongside a full programme for socialist change.
