After months of negotiations, the Finnish airline Finnair and the Finnish Transport Workers' Union (AKT), which represents Finnair's cabin crew in Finland, have reached an agreement in their collective bargaining negotiations. Talks between the parties have been ongoing since December of last year.
The negotiated agreement covers a period of three years, with the final year providing for an optional extension. The agreement now requires formal approval by the respective bodies of both parties. Kaisa Aalto-Luoto, Finnair's Chief People Officer, expressed her satisfaction with the outcome of the talks: "I am very pleased that we have reached a joint result through constructive discussions. This lays a solid foundation on which we can build and shape a successful future together."
Finnair's approximately 1800 cabin crew members are responsible for customer service and passenger safety on a daily basis. The cabin crew's service quality is consistently rated highly in customer satisfaction surveys. The agreement now reached is expected to help calm the employment relationship and allow Finnair to continue focusing on its flight operations and passenger service.
The agreement comes at a time when the European aviation industry is experiencing various labor disputes and negotiations. Airlines and unions are fighting for fair working conditions and adequate remuneration. The outcome between Finnair and AKT could therefore also have a signaling effect for other ongoing collective bargaining disputes in the industry. Details of the new collective agreement will be announced once both sides have formally agreed.
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