Finnair is initiating change negotiations with its pilots due to potential staff reductions. These reductions may be necessary if ongoing pilot industrial action alters Finnair’s cooperation agreement.
Talks begin on 12 February 2025, focusing on possible reductions or furloughs for up to 90 pilots. The negotiations will also address incorporating established stand-by practices into pilot employment contracts.
This is because the Finnish Transport Pilots’ Association (SLL) has refused to agree on stand-by duty collectively.
Finnair A330 Wet-Lease Operations Jeopardized
Currently, two Finnair A330 aircraft, staffed by Finnair crews, are wet-leased to another carrier. They operate flights between Sydney, Bangkok, and Singapore.
The A330’s range limits their use in Finnair’s Asian network following the Russian airspace closure. This arrangement allows Finnair to utilize its A330s productively, employing approximately 90 of its roughly 1,000 pilots.
The ongoing pilot collective labor negotiations, which began last autumn, have seen the Pilot’s union extend industrial action. This includes a stand-by ban, impacting flights operated for the partner carrier and pilot transfer flights.
This disrupts Finnair’s ability to operate agreed-upon flights. Consequently, Finnair has started discussions with its partner about future options for the cooperation agreement, including possible termination. This would directly affect the workload available for Finnair pilots.
Finnair Perspective
“It’s regrettable that the pilot union’s prolonged industrial action forces us into these change negotiations. Today is difficult for everyone at Finnair,” states Kaisa Aalto-Luoto, Finnair’s Chief People Officer.
“In our 101-year history, we’ve never had to reduce pilot positions for operational reasons. Even with the Russian airspace closure, which drastically changed our operating environment, we preserved pilot employment through collaborative arrangements.”
The change negotiations will also cover integrating stand-by duty into employment contracts. The pilot union has rejected collectively agreeing on stand-by duties. The union instead proposed that stand-by should always be voluntary.
Stand-by duty has been a standard part of our pilot collective labor agreements for decades and is crucial for maintaining reliable flight operations.
“Stand-by is an industry-standard practice, and I believe every pilot understands it as part of their job. Since the union has declined to agree on this, we’re preparing to include stand-by duty in all pilot employment contracts to ensure regular and reliable flights,” says Aalto-Luoto.
Collective agreement negotiations between the Finnish Transport Pilots’ Association (SLL) and Service Sector Employers Palta, concerning Finnair pilots, have been ongoing for over five months.
Conclusion
Since November, these negotiations have been under the guidance of the National Conciliator. Despite this, no agreement has been reached, and the pilot union has rejected several settlement proposals accepted by the employer.
The upcoming change negotiations mark a critical juncture for Finnair and its pilots. The outcome of these discussions will significantly impact the airline’s operations and the future of its pilot workforce.
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