Brussels Airlines pilot unions ask Management to formulate a proposal

No conciliation has yet begun in the social dispute at Brussels Airlines, the company said Monday. This Tuesday, Management must submit a new document for another conciliatory meeting next Monday. The union side expects a concrete proposal from Management.

“We believe dialogue is important, it’s about the future of the company, and it’s important that we work on the pilots’ claims to come up with a solution,” says a spokeswoman for the airline. Management is preparing a new text, which will be submitted today to the conciliation committee. The new conciliation procedure should then start next Monday.

The unions are asking Management to formulate a concrete proposal in the meantime. “All is blocked, we ask for an effective proposal to break the deadlock and this does not seem to be the case with a new conciliation,” said Paul Buekenhout from the Christian union LBC-NVK, who regrets the “little games” of Management.

The unions also demand clarity on Lufthansa’s plans for its Belgian subsidiary. “Does Lufthansa still want to invest in Brussels Airlines? Management must give a clear future for the people here,” continues the union leader.

The claims are identical on the side of Anita Van Hoof, of the socialist union. “We have a strong mandate from the pilots, Management cannot ignore such a strong signal,” she says. “A consultation alone will not help; we need a new proposal, why don’t they sit at the table with the unions?”

The strike notice filed by the pilots could theoretically lead to actions from 11 May. But there is still uncertainty over the organisation of a strike action