Airline dismisses union leaders in Yemen
The Yemenia Engineers Association, which has good relations with the ITF, is experiencing major difficulties in exercising its basic trade union rights. The Union has tried to negotiate on behalf of its 300 members over the last two years. Recently, Yemen Airways has responded by dismissing three of the Union’s leaders, saying that addressing the union’s issues is not in the company’s interest. The ITF has written a letter of protest to Yemen Airways management, and is requesting others to do the same.
Sample letter:
Mr. Abdul Khaliq al Kadi, Chairman
Yemenia Airways
Republic of Yemen
Fax: +967 1 252 093
email: Chairman@yemenia.com
Dear Mr. Chairman,
As an affiliate of the International Transport Workers Federation, it has been brought to my Union’s attention that the Yemenia Engineers Association, which has good relations with the International Transport Workers Federation and its affiliates in Yemen, is currently experiencing major difficulties in exercising its basic trade union rights.
I understand that the Union has 300 members and has tried to negotiate on behalf of those members for the last two years. However, Yemenia -Yemen Airways management has been extremely intransigent and has now responded by dismissing three of the Union’s leaders, including the Union’s Vice-President, and threaten the rest of the membership with dismissal. The management claims that addressing the Union’s issues is not in the company’s interest. However, I am sure that you would agree with me that it must be in the company’s interest to ensure that its long-term relations with its employees are conducted within a framework of tolerance and respect for workers and their representatives.
As a result of this situation, I understand that the company fears an engineering skill shortage, as a number of workers have left the company and taken up positions with other airlines. It appears that the company feels threatened by these departures and it has approached other competitor airlines and asked them not to employ engineers from Yemenia in the future. This strategy does not seem conducive to developing a sound economic basis for the company in a fast-growing industry.
I am therefore writing to you to ask you to intervene in this matter and direct your management to reinstate the Union representatives who have been dismissed and to urgently begin to discuss the issue of a new wage scale. This action will save the company from an ever-worsening situation and give encouragement to the workforce that the company has taken a new direction and is committed to meaningful discussions and respect for trade union rights.
The government of Yemen has ratified a number of most important International Labour Organisation Conventions over the last forty years including Conventions 87, 98 and 135 which refer to the Right to Freedom of Association and the Protection of the Right to Organise; the Right to Organise and Collectively Bargain and Rights regarding Workers Representatives. I believe that the current actions of Yemenia Airways do not reflect the forward thinking of the Yemeni government and by the current misguided actions are in danger of bringing the government’s good reputation into disrepute.
I look forward to your reply.
( name, organisation, etc.)
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