TAP Christmas strike may yet be averted

Paul 12 December 2014

tap Some deft work from Pires de Lima this afternoon gave hope to thousands of Christmas travellers pre-booked on TAP flights.

The Economy Minster said after a meeting with the TAP multi-trade union group that on Monday we will know if his proposals have been accepted and whether the planned four day strike can be averted.

Pires de Lima has proposed the creation of a working group to examine the concerns of TAP staff and he said this evening that it was made clear that he wanted the strike called off for the period between the 27th and 30th of December in view of the consequences of holding a strike over the holiday period.

"The ministry offered the possibility, upon cancellation of the strike, of setting up a working group to discuss the points of conflict that TAP employees have," said António Pires de Lima after the meeting.

"On Monday we will have a response from the TAP unions platform on the proposal that we have made."

On Wednesday, the TAP trade union platform, made up of representatives of no less than 12 separate unions, announced strike action between Christmas and New Year against the planned privatisation of the airline.

The unions have decided on continuous and coordinated industrial action on 27, 28, 29 and 30 December, “to sensitise the government of the need to halt the privatisation process,” according to the unions spokesman.

There may be another statement this evening but if not, on Monday travellers will find out if they must yet again suffer the consequences of booking with TAP which, from a reliability point of view, is now among the worst in the industry.

Comments

-2 #3 Terrie 2014-12-16 20:44

I'm flying Tap to the acores during this period. I'm far from rich, even though I paid out the butt for these tickets, but there was no other choice. It is the only airline that services any island of the acores. Just so you know. So now I'm pissed at overpaying, being insulted, and possibly loosing out on my flight.

+1 #2 Patricia 2014-12-16 08:08

This is not true. We are ordinary travellers who chose to fly TAP to Madeira because it was cheapest. If people like us say never again the strikers will soon be out of a job.

-1 #1 Dilwyn 2014-12-13 08:55

The funniest part of all this is that it is the elite high rollers of Portugal being inconvenienced. Hence the urgency in finding a solution. If it was say flooding of peasant farmers land ... nothing would happen.

Interesting though that so much of the holidaying is still limited to 'Portugal'. So we hear that40% of Madeira hotels are losing bookings.

But then that also might show tunnel vision that these rich folk cannot use other airlines in case they get seen. Can they not wear a bag over their head or a motorcycle helmet like a fraudulent credit card user ?

Or do we assumed that only TAP can fly to the autonomous regions off-shore. That it is closed to any other airline ?

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