Beyond the BPP/IPP file, an important truth:
We urgently need company CLAs

The BPP/IPP (transfer of pension fund from BRU to LEJ) has unveiled a deeper issue that could potentially affect every one of us. By questioning the legal validity of the “Leipzig HR Transfer Agreement” in an attempt to desperately close the BPP/IPP file, and by stating that any agreement other than a Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) can be modified by management and then “agreed” with individuals without involving the pilot representatives, the blunt truth now lies in front of us: unless we secure a CLA that protects our existing working conditions, this scenario could be repeated in the future if our position becomes “weaker”, for instance in case of a fleet or base transfer.

Rather than “another bad news”, we should better look at it as a “TA warning” and keep focused on putting BRU and LEJ “Belgian contract” pilots under CLAs. By speaking their mind too early, management made us aware that one day, when recession will be there again or if important changes should ever hit the company, such method could be an option for them whatever their past official commitments. CLAs are nothing new, they are collective contracts where everyone’s individual conditions are clearly described and protected. CLAs benefit are legally binding and can’t be modified by calling an individual to the Office to make them “an offer they can’t refuse”.

Every DHL Belgium entity (DHL Aviation, DHL International…) has CLAs. Most German and Belgian airlines too. EAT Leipzig signed a CLA in 2011 detailing the flex contract. Even the 5000 Fedex pilots fall under one single CLA (of 650 pages!). After refusing to update the BRU company CLA between 2007 and 2016, EAT (and DHL) briefly changed their mind in 2017. EAT management halted the BRU CLA again in August of this year, explaining that “EAT Management is not willing anymore to sign a CLA” and that “there is no obligation from law.” Early this month we got an ambiguous signal from Management that “EAT is not ‘a priori’ against a BRU CLA”.

Early this year, BeCA drafted a list of “issues to be improved” regarding working conditions, especially the Per Diems. Today I believe the first priority is about protecting our (good) working conditions, i.e. the conditions your reps and BeCA have progressively built over the years. If no progress is made in the coming weeks, we will prepare a petition to DHL Express Senior Management.

Our working conditions should now be secured for the next decades, and not potentially subject to immediate possible unilateral reviews by management. The situation in LEJ and why there is still no LEJ “Block CLA” while there is one for Flex is very difficult to understand and will be discussed again with ver.di.

EAT BRU contract pilots built the main DHL airline in difficult conditions since 1986, this deserves recognition in stable Collective Contracts.

For the EAT Pilot Board,

Alain Vanalderweireldt
BeCA EAT Vice-President