Unions: save modalities with KLM reorganization | Financial

KLM is technically bankrupt as a result of the corona crisis. Therefore, a total of 4,500 jobs will be cut, the majority of which will disappear due to a voluntary departure scheme, natural attrition and the failure to fill temporary vacancies. This leaves 1500 men who will be fired. This concerns 500 jobs at the ground, 300 at the cabin, 300 pilots and about 400 at KLM subsidiaries and Air France-KLM group positions. There must be a final plan in October.

“In the coming years, fewer people will still be needed at KLM. In addition, for the land we are dealing with a mismatch in functional skills ”, KLM reports Friday morning.

KLM expects that in a few years’ time recovery will be to the situation before the corona crisis. Currently, the airline operates only 30% of its total capacity. In the first half year an operating loss of € 768 million was incurred.

Conversation

“The figures are dramatic, but that was to be expected. The exact details of the number of compulsory redundancies are still the subject of discussion. Nothing is cast in concrete ”, says chairman Dario Fucci of the KLM works council in a reaction.

The question is whether KLM still has a future if the network shrinks by 70 to 50% and a normalized situation is only expected in four years. “That’s difficult. We hope, of course, that the recovery will go soon. If not, we will have to look again at the company. However, the management sticks to the current strategy, as a valuable airline that maintains a transfer network at Schiphol. However, with less flying you need less staff. ”

CEO Pieter Elbers wants to emerge ‘stronger’ from the crisis. “We want to keep as many jobs as is responsible and be able to repay the loans as soon as possible.”

‘Health job’

Talks about the reorganization with unions and works council will start on Friday. The state has made it a condition that KLM must reduce the influenceable costs by 15%. Fucci: “That is a hell of a job, because the company is shrinking. The chain will have to contribute to this. The staff cannot wear this alone. Schiphol must contribute, banks, lessors, must contribute. Everyone has an interest in KLM’s survival. ”

The FNV union announced on Thursday, after the reorganization plans had leaked through De Telegraaf, that forced redundancies were not an option in its view. Birte Nelen, director at FNV-Cabine: “Now that we have seen the numbers, we think that the redundancy of personnel can certainly be solved by other means than forced dismissal. We are thinking of ways such as relocation of employees within the company, secondment, voluntary part-time work, unpaid leave and retraining. ”

CNV subscribes to the urgency of the reorganization, but states that “KLM emphasizes that it is not in line with our idea of ​​justice”. Director Michiel Wallaard: “As CNV Professionals, we attach great importance to KLM’s careful handling of the cheese slicer, with the strongest shoulders bearing the heaviest loads. If you disregarded people work – even with earning part-timers or with partners who both work for KLM – so people are in a pinch. Especially because they often live in an expensive environment, close to Schiphol. ”

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