STOCKHOLM / OSLO (VG) Roger Cloxet of the Norwegian SAS Pilots Association landed in Arlanda on Wednesday morning to return to the negotiating table with SAS management.
The edges are steep and collision locked 900 pilots went on strike last week on Monday.
But the parties meet again at the negotiating table in Stockholm at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, and NFS chief Roger Cloxett landed in Arlanda earlier in the day.
– What are your expectations today?
– I expect the SAS management to have a genuine willingness to negotiate and respect agreements. This applies to both collective agreements and re-entry rights for our employees.
– Are you confident that you will be able to reach an agreement during the day?
– Yes, we always negotiate with expectations and hopes to reach an agreement. We’ve been doing this since November and it’s still the same today.
– Are the parties closer now than last week?
– Nope, no contact since last Monday, so let’s see what the day brings.
– Nothing to lose
Cloxett believes the pilots stretched the elastic distance.
– We have already stretched too far, perhaps too far.
– Does SAS have to meet all of your requirements for you to reach an agreement?
– Yes. I think the SAS chose to strike last Monday. There is no choice but to stand by it. If you have nothing to lose, the choice is easy.
– Have you set any deadline for today’s talks?
– We are already on strike, so there is not much we can do. It could go faster if we find we disagree today and break up, or it could take longer if we see movement in negotiations. But it’s hard to say how long it will take. We are creative and will find a solution, but position wise we have nothing to go on. There are limits to how far we can go.
At the ombudsman’s place
Norwegian national mediator Mats Wilhelm Ruland is based in Stockholm. He told NTB on Tuesday night that he believes the parties are solution oriented.
– The parties have signaled that they will negotiate, and we will be part of it. There are many unresolved questions, he tells VG outside the Næringslivets hus in Stockholm just before the meeting.
He says it is important to address the situation as it affects many third parties and leaves thousands of passengers stranded.
Flight Inspector: It costs a billion
Aviation analyst Hans Jørgen Elnæs tells VG that both parties would be very interested in reaching a solution if their needs are met.
He estimates the strike has cost a billion kroner so far.
But while many things indicate the parties are closer to a settlement than ever before, the airline analyst points to two things SAS has to offer:
– On the part of the pilots, it is a matter of policy to re-employ the pilots laid off during the pandemic and to get the unions of the two subsidiaries into their own organization.
– How are you now before the meeting?
– They are under a lot of pressure as most of the planes are on the ground and thousands are roaming around. But Elnæs says it is about the future of SAS and the possibility of negotiating contracts like SAS Forward.
SAS itself estimates losses of NOK 100-130 million per day.
– What does the future hold when the strike ends?
– It would be a boost, but it depends on how the new deal looks. But if it looks different from the SAS-Forward plan, it will be difficult to negotiate with lenders and investors.
– Can SAS survive?
– Yes, I think the strike will end soon. SAS has good capital on the books, says aviation analyst
Expect something new
On the way to Næringslivets hus, SAS Norge Flygerforening (SNF) president Jan Levi Skogvang said they expect the administration to offer something new:
– If they’re not, we’re ready to go ten minutes later. It’s up to SAS.
Aviation analyst Elnæs was previously V.G It would be surprising if the parties did not reach an agreementWhen they meet again for negotiations.
– I hope, I hope SAS will fly high during the week, says Elnæs.
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