Belgian ATC 24h strike 28/09/2010 12:00 UTC

[Bralo20]

Airspace remains closed until tommorow 14h00 CET...

(UPDATE 3 pm) Industrial action by air traffic controllers confirmed

In spite of various attempts at reconciliation, Belgocontrol regrets to announce that the NOTAM announcing the closure of the Belgian civil airspace from Tuesday 28 September 2010 at 2 p.m. to Wednesday 29 September at 2 p.m. is now in force. No formal demands concerning the air traffic controllers’ unofficial action have been received by trade union representatives, nor by the company management. Since the reasons behind this action have not officially been made known, the meeting with the trade union representatives held this morning could not be brought to a successful conclusion.

Belgocontrol sincerely regrets the current action, penalising the passengers, the airline companies and the airports. Belgocontrol management is ready to resume talks as from the moment the company receives a formal list of demands, transmitted in accordance with trade union status regulations.

[sn26567]

In this surrealistic country, nobody know why there is a strike and what the striking ATCOs are asking for. Moreover, the trade unions are not covering the strike, meaning that the strikers will get no money at all during their action.

Could one of the strikers please explain why they are striking? And why an announced wildcat strike?

[MAM]

I hope the BE government or the EU union will push a big claim into the direction of Belgocontrol for this strike. Today many pax stranded again* because of some ATC's that were unhappy with their job and a transfer of some colleagues?? Many pax have no rights for compensation due to this strike, not even mentioning the loss of money on waiting, alternative travel and loss of believe in European aviation reliability.

I fully believe the intentions for the strike were based on well considered moral grounds, but there are different ways to make a clear statement regarding unsatisfactory work conditions and a transfer of some co-workers without punishing innocent passengers. I would almost say it is a selfish act of (non lethal) terrorism.

* we had this year the heavy snow in Dec/Jan, the ATC strikes in Greece, Belgium, France, airport handling crew strikes, volcano eruption and now this.....

[euroflyer]

this is really great guys, thank you, wonderful ... I cannot decide if the reasons for this industrial action are ok or not. And honestly, I do not care that much. It is not in my area of responsibility or influence. But I am affected badly and this is just not fair, sorry. It is ok to act against your employer if you have a point and I am certainly in favour of this. But it is just unfair to act against pax - and that is what you do, full stop. You try to "win" this conflict by taking as many "hostages" as possible in order to build pressure which you obviously cannot do during the internal negotiations. This is to me just a sign of weakness of the union leaders, they go the easy way. Indeed, as has been said above, please be more creative and do not affect uninvolved people. We tried to organise a meeting today and tomorrow in Brussels, which was quite some work for a number of people over weeks and now half of the speakers and most of the participants are not coming because either their flights have been cancelled straight away or they are afraid of travelling because they might not be able to fly back. THANK YOU! I will be brave and try to fly into Brussels tomorrow for the second half of the event, as LH until now claims LH4570 tomorrow morning will operate, even if I have my doubts. But the event is a mess now and work of several weeks was worthless. You do not expect anybody affected like this to understand you or to support any of your demands, do you?

[jan_olieslagers]

nobody know why there is a strike

Except of course those who carefully study the better sources of information, such as https://www.aviation24.be

[Zorba]

Belgian Airspace will re-open at 20:00UTC

[Filip146]

BRUSSELS INDUSTRIAL ACTION - CANCELLED
--------------------------------------
.
THE INDUSTRIAL ACTION AT EBBU WILL BE CANCELLED WEF 2000 UTC
TODAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2010. ALL REGULATIONS AND SPECIAL PROCEDURES
FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW WILL BE CANCELLED AS WELL.
.
CFMU NOD BRUSSELS

FROM Eurocontrol website

[jan_olieslagers]

Belgian Airspace will re-open at 20:00UTC

At a first glance, I understand that again, action - and the unavoidable discomfort to some - were kept to the barest minimum. We can only hope the minister in charge will never again pretend utter surprise. Won't get a chance either, by the look of things.

[euroflyer]

At a first glance, I understand that again, action - and the unavoidable discomfort to some - were kept to the barest minimum.

So that is what you call the barest minimum ??? Great, certainly do not want to see the maximum than!

I do not know, as said before the reasons behind this action of today in detail, but if it really was an unannounced wild strike action of some than I do not understand why (1) the Belgian labour law does not allow to sack anybody involved in such an action and / or (2) why it is not done. There are rules and they do not only apply to employers, guys, they apply to employees as well

[jan_olieslagers]

The answer to your second point is easy: they're short already. They REALLY can't afford to sack anyone, even the thickest heads seem to understand that much.

In case of doubt: I am not an ATCO, neither in Belgium nor anywhere else. But I do understand their grievances are real, and they do have tried gentler means before, and have been doing so for a good while - with zero effect, as already illustrated. One can regret the action was not given earlier notice, agreed. Perhaps it was triggered unexpectedly by an incident, minor in itself?

And, again with all respect for the victims, no sane person goes traveling without preparing any degree of plan B. There's a thousand things can go wrong, a late-announced strike is just one case of bad luck. Be grateful they did not (or not yet?) carry their case to the full, as Belgian Unions would certainly have done - I cannot remember THEM disrupting a strike prematurely, except under legal pressure.

[airazurxtror]

Wildcat strike, until 1400 tomorrow, then cancelled at short notice at 2200 today : those guys are completely irresponsible.
And they are in charge of thousend of lives ? Frightening !

[Zorba]

Wildcat strike, until 1400 tomorrow, then cancelled at short notice at 2200 today : those guys are completely irresponsible.
And they are in charge of thousend of lives ? Frightening !

One of the lamest comments ever. This has absolutely nothing to do with the compentence of the job as ATCO.

[sn26567]

Despite the cancellation of the strike, the flights of Brussels Airlines remain cancelled until Wed 29/09/2010 at 14:00 local time, except for the flights returning from Africa, which will be diverted to neighbouring countries.

Why that diversion if the airport and air space are open?

[airbuske]

Why that diversion if the airport and air space are open?

The Africa flights will land in Brussels and not in an other airport like mentioned on the Brussels Airport
website.

Concerning the European flights : On Wednesday 29 September all SN flights will operate, except a limited number of European flights, which will be announced as soon as possible.

[Acid-drop]

If these air traffic people are unhappy with their working conditions (which is possible), they have to quit and look for another job. It's that simple.

These people on strike should be fired immediately, and taken to court afterwards by the passengers.

While I don't agree with the strike you'll have to know that everyone has the right to strike... You cannot fire someone because one strikes... That will send us back to the dark ages

Well you are right, but if everybody is using his right to strike, we have strikes everyday and this country is then a huge mess (yes, even more). If they are reasonable, it's better for everyone.

[regi]

To all who said something about legal actions, unions , firing those irresponsable people, just 1 message - the same message I accidentally learned yesterday: the ATCO's don't belong to a certain union, but they are an independant group.
So, their action can not be endorsed by the official unions.
So, their action doesn't fall under the normal labour legislation in case of disputes.

The problem is that the concerned ministers have to recognise the fact that the ATCO's are a seperate group.
The ministers don't want to talk to the real conversation partner, so you have a blockage.

It is a bit comparable ( but not exactly the same ) as with the locomotive drivers of the trains. They have their own legal group. So it can happen that the Belgian Railway people go on strike, but that the drivers decide not to strike. But in that case they cannot work because all the rest stands outside eating hotdogs and soup in front of the railway station.

For those poor passengers who missed flights, were diverted and so on I feel sorry. I have been victim numerous times of strikes ( rail - ferry - airport - crew ) and each time I was angry and had probably dangerous high levels of blood pressure. But rest assured: this action will have effect. ( by the companies who lost a lot of money ) You were the victim. But you were also a part of the game. Because you were flying. If nobody would be flying, there would be no ATCO's - or not in that amount.

[Stij]

Rigth! Next time I'll drive! Getting used ti by now after all the ashclouds, strikes etc. The advantage of a car? If a road is blocked in France, I drive over Germany!

No serious, the problem of a strike my ATCO's or Train controllers is that a very limited group can cause such a lot of problems for people who aren't concerned. Just like the power of employers is limited by certain laws (and thatnks heaven these laws exist), the excessive power of certain groups of employees should be limited as well if they can't self regulate.

This strike would have received a completely different perception in the public (read the editorials in the newspapers) if it just would have been announced a week in advance. That way, you hurt your employer (lost revenue) but you offer an escape route for people who aren't concerned.

Cheers,

Stij

[regi]

In case of unpleasant strikes I did also react before with " you don't like your job, well, change your job"
But if the employer unilaterally makes harsh decisions ( for example that you are transfered towards another federal state, anther province, another city a long way from where you live and accidentaly a place with difficult public transport connections ) it is normal that employees react , or don't even accept.
And I don't agree with the number excuse. It is not right to say that "just 50 people " are unhappy that they cannot react by blocking thousands of passengers.
What should be the limit? 100, 1,000, 10,000 ?
Other point about "other job".
I suppose that the job of ATCO is so specific that it is difficult to get another job ( with a salary that comes somewhere in the neighbourhood, certainly if you have some build up years )

[regi]

Another point of view that maybe few people dare to think about:
maybe it was the aim of the strike announcement to hurt the travellers as much as possible.
The ATCO's will never admit this. But it works.
And as that ATCO told us here: they did many actions, nowhere mentioned in the media. Now they got the attention.
But it does not mean that they will get what they want. That is another subject , of which we will see the outcome within some years.

[regi]

seems that I misread the message: the transfer would have been from Charleroi to Brussels.
Anyway, they are back at work.