SAS and striking pilots closer to deal but issues remain, mediator tells E24
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Disaster-hit airline SAS and unions have made progress on a brand new financial savings deal to finish a 13-day pilots’ strike, however important points have but to be resolved, a mediator instructed information company E24 on Saturday.
A majority of SAS pilots in Sweden, Denmark and Norway walked out on July 4 after negotiations over circumstances associated to the Scandinavian provider’s rescue plan collapsed. The events returned to the negotiating desk within the Swedish capital on Wednesday.
Nationwide Mediator of Norway Mats Wilhelm Ruland mentioned the events had come nearer through the day.
“Sure, we’re, however there are nonetheless many and large questions that should be solved,” he instructed E24 on throughout a break in negotiations on Saturday. “The event within the first hours has been good.”
SAS had been combating elevated low-cost competitors for years earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic heaped stress on the airline business. The governments of Denmark and Sweden, that are the most important house owners, see it as a key a part of the area’s transport infrastructure.
The airline mentioned on Thursday the strike had brought about 2,550 flight cancellations, affecting 270,000 passengers and costing the provider between $94 million and $123 million.
Pilots employed by SAS Scandinavia, a subsidiary of SAS Group, have mentioned they’d conform to restricted wage cuts and fewer beneficial phrases, however SAS has mentioned that concessions provided thus far are usually not sufficient for it to hold out a rescue plan introduced in February.
Unions are additionally demanding that pilots who misplaced their jobs through the pandemic are rehired at SAS Scandinavia, fairly than having to compete with exterior candidates for jobs on much less enticing phrases at not too long ago created SAS Hyperlink and Eire-based SAS Join.
(Reporting by Johan Ahlander; Enhancing by Nick Macfie)
