SAS announces lockout in Sweden if there is a pilot strike – E24

The ongoing conflict between SAS and the pilots in Norway, Sweden and Denmark could result in a strike.

SAS is now responding by notifying all members of the Swedish Pilot Association, SPF, at SAS’s base at Arlanda, of a so-called mirror lockout from the same date as the potential strike will start.

It reports NRK, which has access to a letter from SAS to the Mediation Institute.

– In Sweden, it is quite common for the employer to make a so-called mirror lockout, in situations where notice of resignation has been given. There are different rules and processes in the different countries, and we will return to what is the next step in Norway and Denmark, respectively, says Tonje Sund, press manager at SAS, to NRK.

A mirror lockout means that the employer shuts down the staff who work on exactly the services specified in the union’s notice, according to Today’s Industry.

SAS justifies the lockout message with the fact that the Swedish pilot association has terminated the collective agreement with SAS and announced a total strike. The purpose of the lockout is to get the other party to end the strike and limit the damage to SAS in the event of a conflict, it is stated in the message from SAS, writes Dagens Industri.

June 9 SAS Pilot Group announced major strike in SAS if they do not reach an agreement with the company by the mediation deadline, the night of 29 June.

900 SAS pilots risk being taken out on strike.

– This shows a shockingly poor understanding of reality for what situation SAS is in right now, said press manager Tonje Bjerve Sund in SAS to E24 after the warning of a major strike.

Martin Lindgren, leader of the SAS Pilot Group, has previously stated that he estimates that a strike could affect 250 departures and 45,000 passengers a day, if it is implemented.

Crisis hit

SAS has already encountered major difficulties ahead of the summer season. The company announced earlier this spring that it canceled 4,000 flights this summer. In addition, the company is affected by the ongoing strike among aircraft technicians.

The company is also in a difficult financial situation, and has presented the crisis plan SAS Forward, which will cut annual costs by 7.5 billion Swedish kroner.

The crisis plan also stipulates that the company will raise SEK 9.5 billion in fresh capital, at the same time as SEK 20 billion in debt will be converted into shares.

Earlier in June, the Swedish authorities stated that they are in favor of a conversion of the loans they have given to the company, but that it is not relevant to inject new capital into the company. Denmark, for its part, has announced that it will support the company with fresh capital.