Menzies handlers have scheduled four-day strikes over all weekends to September
The misery of air travel in the high summer amplified in Lisbon last weekend as, combined with the effects of a bomb hoax, more than 70 flights were cancelled due to a strike by SPdH/Menzies (formerly Groundforce) workers.
Carlos Araújo, leader of SIMA (Metal and Allied Industries Union) told Lusa early on Saturday evening that “there were 25 flights cancelled on departure and 19 cancelled on arrival”.
According to Araújo, the strike caused more disruption to the capital’s airport than it would have had it not coincided with the emergency landing of a SATA Azores Airlines plane due to a bomb threat. He lamented this unfortunate coincidence. But possibly as a result of it, 20 to 30 flights suffered from passengers’ luggage not being loaded.
Will things be any better today (Sunday)? Either Araújo enjoys theatrics, or he knows what he is talking about: “Tomorrow, Sunday, the snowball effect will continue”, he tells Lusa, “and on Monday there will be a total breakdown of service. (UPDATE MONDAY MORNING: another 36 flights were cancelled)
“We were forced into this situation by the intransigence of the current management (SPdH/Menzies),” he added.
ANA-Aeroportos de Portugal has not been quite so dramatic, telling Lusa late last night that the strike had caused ‘some delays’ and the cancellation of (only) 20 flights.
ANA was advising passengers to contact their airline in advance to confirm the status of their flight before heading to the airport.
In turn, in a statement released on Saturday afternoon, Menzies Aviation indicated that until that point (ie just before the emergency landing) “the strike had caused only minimal disruption in Lisbon, with no impact on other stopovers.”
Reiterating its ‘commitment to legality, fair working conditions and open and respectful dialogue,’ Menzies stressed that it will not resume “any kind of dialogue while the strike continues.” This does not bode well considering the strike schedule, which involves four further four-day strikes scheduled to cover all the weekends until early September.
In August, the strike periods are scheduled for August 8 – 11, 15 – 18, 22 – 25 and August 29 to September 1.
Among workers’ demands are an end to base salaries below the national minimum wage, payment for night shifts, better salary conditions and “continued access to the car park on the same terms” previously enjoyed, adds Lusa.
TSF Radio adds that this current strike will continue until 00.00 hours on Monday – but then on Monday at 10am workers will ‘concentrate’ outside Menzies head office (suggesting handling will likely be affected).
source material: LUSA/ TSF Radio
