"Swedish airport workers say they'll go on strike in October"

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Swedish airport workers ready to strike in October 
By TOMMY GRANDELL
The Associated Press
 

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Sweden's transport workers union said Tuesday that as
many as 2,500 of its members will go on strike Oct. 11 in response to
proposed changes in salaries and working hours at Scandinavian Airlines
(SAS). . 

The union and the SAS parent company have disagreed about a new deal that
would tighten the number of hours for ground staff, including mechanics,
technicians, ramp workers and luggage handlers. 

The flag carrier for Denmark, Norway and Sweden has 32,000 employees. 

"I'm surprised, to put it mildly. We have offered exactly what the union
asked for, that is a 7.3 percent raise over three years," employers'
spokesman Jonas Bernunger said. 

There was no immediate comment available from the union. 

If there is no agreement within the next two weeks, the strike will start on
Oct. 11 and include luggage loaders and mechanics, SAS spokesman Hans
Ollongren said. 

The strike, which will affect not only SAS but other airlines that fly in
and out of Sweden, could be expanded to include aircraft technicians and
mechanics by Oct. 18 if no agreement is reached. 

Transport union members who work in the country's sea ports said they
planned to stage a sympathy strike starting Nov. 1, a move that could slow
down movement of goods through Goteborg in southwestern Sweden, as well as
at ports in and around the capital, Stockholm. 

Bernunger said that a strike notice means that it will hurt the airline
industry before a strike has actually occurred. 

"The passengers start canceling and rebooking their tickets and find new
travel patterns. It is important to us to find a quick solution to this,"
Bernunger said. 

Scandinavian Airlines has suffered from falling demand for business travel,
competition by other airlines, including budget carriers like Ryanair, and
increased competition in the Nordics from homegrown carriers.

On the web:

SAS: www.scandinavian.net  
 


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