The agreement, signed on 6 January, will contribute to the best possible collaboration between unions and the company over adherence to International Labour Organization (ILO) core conventions on freedom of association, organising and collective bargaining. It will also guarantee regular meetings between unions and management and the inclusion of grievance and arbitration procedures. And it will help to ensure professional services in the international aviation sector.
OSM Aviation recruits, appoints, trains and administers flight personnel across bases in 14 countries and employs 2,700 pilots and cabin crew. It already has deals with unions in several of its bases. Norway’s Norwegian airline is the largest of the company’s nine international airline clients and the new agreement will be implemented across the OSM network.
ITF president Paddy Crumlin said: “The aggressive race to the bottom in international aviation has led to an under-regulated industry where standards for workers are in decline.
“OSM Aviation is taking steps to promote permanent employment and orderly pay and working conditions. That’s a good starting point, and I’m pleased we have now put an agreement in place where we and OSM Aviation will co-operate to protect union rights, social security and working conditions.”
Steve Cotton, ITF general secretary, added that deregulation in shipping led to a complex flags of convenience system that has engulfed the industry and impacted harshly on workers. He welcomed the proactive step with OSM as a means to help prevent the same thing happening in aviation.
Keep up with the latest industry news at the ITF’s aviation blog at www.itfaviation.org.
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