CROATIA: A 24-hour strike by employees of Croatia Airlines in protest over financial losses and a new collective rights agreement forces half of all the carrier's scheduled flights to be cancelled.

Record ID: 340674

  • Title: CROATIA: A 24-hour strike by employees of Croatia Airlines in protest over financial losses and a new collective rights agreement forces half of all the carrier's scheduled flights to be cancelled.
  • Date: 9th March 2012
  • Summary: ZAGREB, CROATIA (MARCH 8, 2012) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS WEARING UNION COATS STANDING AROUND CROATIA AIRLINES HEADQUARTERS BUILDING WITH PROTESTERS IN FRONT SIGN ON BUILDING READING "CROATIA AIRLINES" PROTESTERS HOLDING PICKET SIGNS SIGN READING: "FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS - WE ARE GOING DOWN" PROTESTERS CLOSE OF PROTESTERS COAT, READING: "CROATIAN AIRLINE PILOT ASSOCIATIO
  • Embargoed: 24th March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Croatia, Croatia
  • Country: Croatia
  • Topics: Business,Employment,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVADUCFFUP3F143F25CEVTJ2BQH7
  • Story Text: Around half of all Croatia Airlines' scheduled flights were cancelled on Thursday (March 8) after employees of the carrier went on a 24-hour strike, protesting against poor management and the loss of rights and entitlements.
    Members of the company's pilots' and mechanics' unions gathered in front of the company headquarters near Zagreb airport early on Thursday morning, carrying protest signs and claiming that poor management is the main reason why the company has consistently posted losses over the past ten years.
    "Unfortunately, with this management we don't see any light at the end of the tunnel. With this way of doing business - which has remained unchanged for the past 15 years - we are just sinking deeper and deeper," said the head of the Croatian Airplane Pilots Association, Andre Sarinic.
    Croatia Airlines, the only Croatian airliner and a major operator for holidaymakers and businessmen heading for the country's scenic Adriatic coast, is a member of the Star Alliance global airline network.
    The state-owned carrier posted a net loss in 2011 of 75.8 million kuna ($13 million), narrower than its 2010 loss, while passenger numbers rose 15 percent.
    Management has said it planned to reach profitability by 2013.
    The protesters also criticised a new collective agreement offered by management, which they say would reduce their rights and could jeopardize flight safety standards.
    "As far as pilots are concerned, we gave up on all of our financial demands. We are even prepared to agree to give up on some other rights (we currently have) but only if we see a way forward. Unfortunately, we don't see it with these people," Sarinic said.
    The airline said that some 30 flights, or around half its schedule, had to be cancelled due to the strike, mainly affecting their domestic and regional routes.
    "The Zagreb-Zurich (connecting) flight is cancelled, obviously, so now I have to catch the (direct) one from Zagreb to Lisbon at 15:20. So I'm staying here at the airport for 5-6 hours," passenger Ana Dishlieska-Mitova from Skopje said.
    Croatia Airlines said it estimated the one-day disruption would cost some 200,000 euros ($260,000), with around 1,000 passengers missing their scheduled flights.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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