The airline SAS is accused of violating the Work Environment Act after a recent reorganization. The pilots' union is now preparing legal action, reports SVT.
SAS has laid off hundreds of pilots during the pandemic due to a shortage of work. As air traffic is now starting to recover, the pilots are being forced to seek jobs in newly established companies within the SAS group. The measure means that the right to re-employment, which would have given the laid-off pilots priority, does not apply.
According to the union, the arrangement violates the collective agreement. SAS, in turn, claims that it follows the regulations and points out that these are completely new positions that can be applied for by anyone.
According to Martin Lindgren, chairman of the Swedish Pilots' Association, legal proceedings are now being prepared against the airline in Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
– SAS is starting this operation first in Denmark, and that is where we will first test it legally, he tells SVT.
The aviation unions have on several occasions demanded that the government take action against SAS, whose largest shareholder is the Swedish state.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Industry Karl-Petter Thorwaldsson (S) says in a written comment to SVT that "the company's operational model is a question for SAS management.".
Source: TT
