EasyJet v BALPA row

Following an announcement that easyJet intends to make 727 pilots redundant, the management have put forward proposals which pilots say could undermine key safety culture.

According to BALPA, easyJet has told pilot representatives that they intend to use ‘sickness’ as a key component in choosing who loses their job.

EasyJet, which has a 100% safety record, has refuted this claim.  “We are fully committed to working closely and constructively with BALPA throughout the consultation process. We have put forward initial proposals for discussion as our talks are at an early stage. We would never put forward proposals which would compromise safety as we have an industry-leading safety culture, as BALPA acknowledges.”

Brian Strutton, BALPA General Secretary, said: “Flight safety is built on a culture of openness and not fear of repercussions. This is a well understood and fundamental tenet for everyone involved in ensuring our skies are safe.

“It is unnecessary and wrong that easyJet is intending to use sickness as a stick to beat its safety-critical staff. EasyJet has in the past rightly encouraged pilots to report in sick or fatigued if they are unfit to fly – that is in everyone’s best interest. Now to turn around and say that doing the right thing means you may lose your job could have a chilling effect on the safety culture in easyJet from now on.

“Not only that, but the time frame easyJet intend to use includes the early Coronavirus period when some people were getting sick or having to shield themselves and their families. Should these people be punished by losing their jobs too?

"We have yet to see any justification for the scale of job losses that easyJet has proposed. We will continue to fight for every job and will resist any move to use the Covid crisis to undermine easyJet's reputation as a decent employer."

In its last statement to the London Stock Exchange (see BTN 1 June) the airline said it only expected to fly 30% of its capacity in Q4 2020.

For a less serious look do view AND FINALLY in this week's BTN.

www.easyjet.com

www.balpa.org

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