AEROLINEAS pays half the salary

Amid the sharp drop in your income from the pandemic and the rearrangement of your accounts, Argentinian airlines announced the deferral of June salaries, paying 50% almost all of its 12,000 employees. The measure was adopted in the last hours before the delay in the arrival of games from the Nation and immediately turned on the rejection in the guilds, who were called to a meeting to avoid the initiation of force measures.

The provisional salary scheme, which also reaches Austral, consists of the payment of a $ 35,000 pocket flat for all workers with salaries of up to $ 70,000 and from that rank 50% of the salary will be paid. That way, the $ 35,000 worker will receive 100%, while the $ 50,000 worker will receive 70% and the one with more than $ 70,000, half of their usual income. The cut will affect 11,900 employees, confirmed in the company to iProfessional.

“Given the delicate economic situation that the company is going through in the context of the stoppage of activities caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, on July 6 50% of the assets will be paid corresponding to June 2020, with a floor of 35,000 in pocket, guaranteeing that no one perceives an amount less than that figure, “Airlines reported in a confidential message to part of its staff.

The company seeks to reduce its expenses by following the path of other airlines. After billing US $ 1.7 billion last year, the quarantine eliminated its income and only has funds from the Nation. Pablo’s management Ceriani calculates that he needs about $ 900 million for its continuity. “As soon as the corresponding state party arrives, it will catch up. The company is practically without income for four months and with a drop of 97%“they explained from Airlines.

The news fell like a bomb in the guilds aeronautics, who had been reluctantly accepting the latest measures. “We inform you that the company has informed us that it will only pay 50% of the assets of June (making the payment effective on the fourth business day) until the dipsonga of funds from the National State),” reported the APLA pilots’ union, headed by Pablo Biró. The company will also not pay the ETOPS / PBN bonds, a sort of per diem.

Employees with accounts at Banco Nación found this Thursday half of their salaries credited. “From APLA we emphatically reject these unilateral decisions that constitute a clear violation of labor obligations“said the union, which will make the corresponding complaints in the Ministry of Labor. While the ground staff nucleated in APA warned their members about the”unilateral 50% pay cut“in Aerolines and Austral.

The Superior Staff Union (UPSA) warned, meanwhile, that they will wait until next Monday, the fourth business day, to evaluate their next steps. “Legally you have to pay 100%, we hope it will be a delay in the game because if they touch the income …”, they assured this medium from that union entity. APTA technicians assured that they are aware of the “serious Argentine economic situation”, but pointed out that they should have been summoned before the decision was made.

The tensions in the sector intensified with the advance of the crisis of the aeronautical industry in the world as a result of the coronavirus. Last month, the unions agreed with Airlines to suspension of 4,000 employees, with the payment of the entire net salary, although without per diem which represent between 10 and 20% of income. With this measure, Ceriani sought to save $ 650 million in social security contributions without affecting salary.

Pablo Ceriani’s management saves $ 350 million per month with suspensions, non-payment of per diem and 20% salary reduction for managers.

But a few weeks later, the Government divided the Christmas bonus in two installments for salaries of more than $ 80,000 gross, including Airlines and YPF staff. The company ratified it in the last hours. And weeks ago, the Crisis Preventive Procedure initiated by LATAM was added, after announcing its withdrawal from the country and holding the unions responsible for their alleged infeasibility.

“We are making an enormous effort to sustain the sources of work and keep our aircraft operative, which implies expenses in spare parts and different maintenance services,” said the company. “We have implemented a series of measures that translate to $ 350 million in savings per month, ranging from the suspension of 4,000 workers, the non-payment of per diem, among other items, and the 20% salary reduction for management positions“, confirmed from Airlines.

At these times, the Ceriani team is in talks with the Executive to complete the June payment as soon as possible. The last announced was known a few hours after reporting the upcoming start of four new flights to China for the transfer of supplies intended to combat the coronavirus pandemic and two others to Madrid to transfer passengers to Europe and bring back Argentines stranded abroad due to the closure of borders.

Meanwhile, the economic impact of the pandemic led to several countries in Europe to go out to the rescue of the private sector. U.S agreed this Thursday to grant a loan close to the $ 5 billion to American Airlines of a total of US $ 25,000 million to private airlines. Funds were also awarded to Frontier, Hawaiian, SkyWest, and Spirit. But Alberto Fernández does not have that margin Prosecutor to assist the aeronautical sector.

“The current situation does not allow us to face the total payment of wages as we had been doing in the months of March, April and May, already in full effect of operations due to the health crisis. The company is holding talks in order to complete the payment of June assets as soon as possible, “the company explained in its confidential communication.

In the case of Airlines, the unions maintain that they are already contributing their efforts to alleviate the crisis situation, with the suspensions of the staff and the freezing of parity of this year. But in the midst of debt negotiation too fear hide behind all these measures the intention of moving forward with a project that the Mauricio Macri government could never achieve: the revision of the agreements work collectives.

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