- Title: ROMANIA-AIR/STRIKE Romanian air controllers strike for long-delayed contract
- Date: 15th July 2015
- Summary: BUCHAREST, ROMANIA (JULY 15, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF HENRI COANDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT AIRPORT AIRPORT BOARD SHOWING CANCELLED AND DELAYED FLIGHTS (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS FOR BUCHAREST AIRPORT, VALENTIN IORDACHE, SAYING: "This is the first time we have faced an air traffic controllers strike, the first in Romania. We
- Embargoed: 30th July 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Romania
- Country: Romania
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA8B4RGI8TD1L9Z47CSSOBOKN2T
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Romanian air traffic controllers went on a two-hour strike at Bucharest's main airport on Wednesday (July 15), delaying dozens of flights, to protest against their employer's failure to approve a long-delayed labour contract.
In their first such protest, around 600 workers at the Romatsa traffic services company suspended work from 11 a.m. (0800 GMT) to 1 p.m. (1000 GMT).
"This is the first time we have faced an air traffic controllers strike, the first in Romania. We hope it is going to be a singular case as it affects us [airport administration], passengers and air companies. We've taken every measure in order to pass the strike and we have shown that we can face a number of critical situations," the airport's Director of External Communications, Valtenin Iordache, said.
The strikers' union wants Romatsa to scrap plans to boost employment in the administrative area and to lower the retirement age of controllers to 55 years from 65, Andreias Paduraru, secretary of the union ATSR told Reuters.
Prime Minister Victor Ponta told his cabinet ministers at the start of their weekly meeting the transport minister's key task would be to "solve the Romatsa problem ... it isn't normal to upset passengers."
But passengers already seemed aggrieved at the airport on Wednesday morning.
"We came from Ialomita, we are disappointed. We have been waiting for a few hours, we are tired, hungry," one passenger, Cristian, said.
"They don't think about the fact that they, air traffic controllers and syndicalists, maybe have their salaries due to airport taxes that we pay. Let one of them give his salary to my mother and my mother will give them her 400 lei (90 EUR) pension to see: can he manage it?" another, Carmen, said.
The Bucharest airport administration said 22 landings and 18 takeoffs had been scheduled during the strike. According to law, Romatsa has to ensure a third of the scheduled traffic. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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