The day before the celebrations of the sixtieth anniversary of the Treaty of Rome on Saturday 25 March, players from the aviation sector expressed support for the European project in two separate statements, but with significant nuances.
The two statements express different visions. One was signed by nine aviation organisations, including bodies representing airports (ACI), air transport bodies (A4E), air-traffic controllers (CANSO) and employees (IndustriALL). The other was signed by two aviation trade unions, the European Transport Workers Federation (ETF) and the European technical navigation staff association (ECA).
Unsurprisingly, both statements support the European project fully and unconditionally. The first group put the focus on the Single Market and the second call for the introduction of a Social Europe.
The first statement is neutral and evasive about the nature of the European project, going no further than calling for European policy to continue to guarantee freedom, legal certainty, connectivity and prosperity in connection with the Single Aviation Market.
The second statement is far more critical, be it in terms of results achieved thus far from employers or the European institutions. The trade unions point out that at present, there is no European law for workers. They note that the right to strike is regularly attacked and social dialogue is lack-lustre. Above all, they regret that national and European institutions defend an enterprise model that seeks competitiveness gain above all by exploiting workers and taking advantage of gaps in European law.
There’s a running battle going on between the two trade unions and between air transport operators in particular over the question of minimum service for air traffic controllers (see EUROPE 11727), who are accused by some operators of abusing the right to strike. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)