SAS crew agree to last minute rescue

All employee unions have now signed an agreement with the Scandinavian airline SAS, report media.

Analysts have said that SAS could either save DKK 2.6 billion per year, or go bankrupt, according to media reports, that the University Post has relayed here. The airline is part-owned by the three Scandinavian governments and helps to make Copenhagen an international transport hub.

»We must reach our goal. It is crucial for the company. It is crucial for us to implement our plan«, stated the CEO of SAS, Rickard Gustafson to Politiken.dk.

Danish cabin crews hardest to persuade

The plan implies drastic changes for the airline. Lower salaries, longer (and more flexible) working hours and an increased retirement age. Danish, Swedish and Norwegian pilots agreed on waiving one month’s salary per year and increasing the number of working hours by 8 pct. They were the first ones to agree with the rescue plan.

The Cabin Attendants Union (CAU) was the last one to sign the agreements, several hours after all the other employees agreed to the new working conditions.

»The mission has always been to ensure the quality demanded by customers and which we all must live by«, declared one of the members of the CAU after the negotiations.

See Politiken article (in Danish).

universitypost@adm.ku.dk

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