In a move that will make potential buyers of TAP think again, Pires de Lima today announced that any future owner of the state owned airline will not be allowed to sack anyone for 30 months.
The Economy Minister did manage to avert a strike between Christmas and New Year with the promise of talks with union representatives in the new year, which now have gone ahead.
The result; a written agreement with nine of the 12 TAP unions that there can be no collective redundancies for 30 months, or for as long as the state still has a redidual shareholding in a newly privatised TAP.
The government wants to offload 2/3rds of our TAP shares and keep the balance for a while to be able to have an imaginary say in the airline's future.
The minster has just signed an agreement that legally sets in stone the ‘no sacking’ clause and others, and said today that although the agreement is not signed with all of the unions, the "30 months of job security cover all workers.”
The former businessman turned lunchtime tippler Pires de Lima said that is is important that the privatisation is accompanied by social peac.
Pires de Lima is posibly unique in thinking that those interested in buying TAP will be more interested in going ahead with a ‘no sacking’ agreement in place.
Those looking at buying TAP will be aiming dramatically to reduce costs at the overstuffed national flag carrier and may view the 30 month agreement as a hindrance rather than a help.
De Lima’s attempt at a good news story has failed; the union tail yet again is wagging the TAP dog.
