Hava-İş, the union representing the THY workers, announced that nearly 55 cabin workers have fainted while serving due to overwork. This comes after the administration unilaterally and suddenly declared they had annulled the signed union contract and would not honor it
Turkish Airlines have been breaching workers’ contracts in order to maximize its profits. The Turkish government owned and subsidized airline has been in financial trouble as it has overreached to cover many routes around the world. Many destinations Turkish Airlines (THY) services may not be feasible, but due to political reasons THY insists on servicing these under-performing flights with taxes paid by the people.
In the process to hide the losses, Turkish Airlines raids the workers’ benefits and forces them to work under unbearable conditions.
Hava-İş, the union representing the THY workers, announced that nearly 55 cabin workers have fainted while serving due to overwork. This comes after the administration unilaterally and suddenly declared they had annulled the signed union contract and would not honor it.
The union warned the management that, “In order for the workers to maintain the rights obtained by the contract and work safely and to prevent any accidents the management has to abide by the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) that was supposed to be implemented back in 2017.”
The union’s announcement after the management decision to its members included the following statements:
“Whenever the company hits hard times and fail, the first thing that comes to their minds for a solution is to attack the workers. The management should question the fact that from the first time this management came to power more than 1,400 pilots have left THY and the money spent on training these pilots have been wasted. Only the competing corporations and the Middle East companies have gained from THY’s loss as these pilots go to work for them. The government spent huge amounts to build the largest, greatest airport in the world but they never realized the value of the pilots working for them. Instead of thinking about their loss, they just sat in their warm chairs and decided to not honor the contract they signed only 7 months ago. This contract was a promise, a legal document they gave their word of honor to implement in front of millions. A promise, a contract that is the right of all THY workers. And this illegal decision not to abide by the contract is a decision against all the laws and the constitution of the country was sent to the workers with an e-mail. They should know that nobody is above the law and the constitution.
Where was the management when THY hired hundreds of pilots, paid their wages but kept them from flying for 8-9 months? Since the management change around 1,400 pilots have left. Who is responsible for this?”
Sendika.Org News (M.B.)