Please see below an update regarding:
- Falling sick or being quarantined while on a rotation
- Non-compliance of CWA article 36.17.1
- Developments regarding the index increase in Luxembourg
Falling sick or being quarantined while on a rotation
We have received reports from colleagues who are confronted with a refused compensation for Off-Days according to CWA 36.16 while the pilots either fell sick or had been mandated to be in quarantine while on a rotation. This represents a significant change in how management treats such cases as this never has happened in the past.
It goes without saying that we strongly oppose this disappointing and unfortunate behavior from management, as this could potentially result in pilots being away from home for excessively long times under unacceptable circumstances. Especially regarding the fact that the first in first out principle in BKK is not applied anymore and the risk of having to take PCR tests has increased, this should not be underestimated, and the fitness and health should be carefully assessed before leaving on a trip.
Article 36.16.1 of the CWA clearly states that all off days must be fixed at home base. The consideration of Off-Days to be taken during a rotation while falling sick or having to undergo a quarantine thus poses a clear violation of the above-mentioned article. This has already been communicated to Management in February 2022, without success.
In the meantime, we have involved the Unions who will follow the respective legal steps to tackle this violation and we will keep you informed about any development regarding this issue.
Please also report any attempt to deprive you of your Off-Days to cvboard@alpl.lu.
Non-Compliance of CWA article 36.17.1
We have been informed about the incorrect application of article 36.17.1 of the CWA.
This article specifically defines the compensation a pilot is entitled to in case of a late arrival at home base before a vacation period.
It has come to our attention that the hours from 12.00 local time until going off duty to be compensated according to this article due to the late arrival have been deducted from the pilot´s regular monthly duty overtime, thus reducing his overtime payments.
When this article was discussed in the negotiations, it was agreed that the supplement for overtime is to be applied for the purpose of calculating the compensation to be paid to the pilot as a “fine” for the company.
With management´s deliberate decision to interpret this article in a different way than its original purpose, management creates a scenario where any pilot who already is working for more than 173 duty hours in a roster period and arrives late at home base before a vacation period is de facto not receiving any financial compensation as per article 36.17.1. Or, in other words, the pilot is paying this compensation out of his own pocket.
We have addressed this with management but again unfortunately without any success. The Unions will also take this topic to the next level.
We ask you to get in touch with us should the company not correctly apply the CWA in this context.
Developments regarding the index increase in Luxemburg
Last week, the government met with representatives of employer organizations and the Unions (Tripartite).
In those meetings it was agreed to have only one index increase this year, which most likely will be announced in April 2022.
Before those meetings, the employers lobbied to get rid of the index system which would have affected the salaries of all employees in Luxemburg in the years to come.
The index system in Luxembourg provides a very effective inflation compensation and should any additional index increase become necessary according to the calculations of STATEC in 2022, this increase would be postponed until next year.
As pilots we will benefit from an additional salary increase of 1% effective 01 August 2022 according to the current CWA.
