Finnair pilots strike from today

Finnish Air Line Pilots' Association (SLL), representing Finnair pilots, rejected (14-Nov-2009) settlement proposals put forward by State appointed mediator Esa Lonka on 13-Nov-2009, with the pilots commencing strike action on 16-Nov-2009. 750-800 pilots are protesting plans by the company to use its pilots to train aircrew to operate Finnair aircraft leased to other carriers, while retrenching some of its own pilots The strike is expected to cost the carrier EUR2.5-5 million per day. A fifth of the carrier's flights have been cancelled, including almost all long haul services. [more - Finnair] [more - Finnish Air Line Pilots Association] [more - Finnair Air Line Pilots Association II]

Finnair: "We are totally stunned and apologise sincerely for the inconvenience this causes to our customers. The SLL has now turned down three settlement proposals within in a year and a half. The employer would have been prepared to accept all of these proposals. The strike that will now begin on Monday will cancel out all those savings achieved with great hardship by other employee groups. Now we are forced to come up with totally new solutions in order to secure the future of the company," Anssi Komulainen, SVP Human Resources. Source: Company Statement, 14-Nov-2009.