In May, ECA, together with the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) organised a demonstration in Cologne to show EASA our concerns on the process to create new Flight Time Limitation (FTL) rules. As you can read in this Cockpit News EASA’s response was disappointing. Instead of taking the ‘S’ in their name (S = Safety) seriously they seem to be working for commercial rules rather than safe ones. This is bad news for the European travelling public. Do we need an accident due to fatigued pilots before EASA realise they are on the wrong track? We hope they will wake up before this occurs.

Europe’s future FTL were also raised at the annual Conference of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations, in early May in Paris. Pilots from around the globe expressed concerns about the EU rulemaking process and called for science-based FTL rules in a joint statement issued by the leaders of the SkyTeam Pilots’ Association (SPA), the Oneworld Cockpit Crew Coalition (OCCC), the Associations of Star Alliance Pilots (ASAP), IFALPA and ECA.

During this Conference, ECA also held its Regional meeting, where ECA Members expressed their concern regarding the proposal for the so-called “Monti II” Commission’s regulation. This proposal clearly takes away the fundamental right of employees to take collective actions – including strikes – by subordinating this fundamental right to the EU’s freedom of establishment and the freedom to provide services. ECA adopted a strong statement rejecting this proposal and will seek either substantial changes or its withdrawal.

ECA also expressed support to the Hungarian Pilots who lost their jobs during the bankruptcy of MALEV. The Hungarian Government has not taken its responsibility to ensure that the company’s former staff get the treatment they are legally entitled to.

Finally you will read in this Cockpit news about the struggle of our Spanish Member SEPLA on the establishment of Iberia Express. Although a Spanish Government sponsored arbitration, decreed that Iberia Express has to use Iberia pilots, it seems Iberia continues to hire pilots outside the Iberia group to try to divide pilots. SEPLA has ECA’s full support to get Iberia to abide by the terms of the arbitration.

Nico Voorbach