A new web forum for workers at Asia’s leading low cost airline was launched in April, prompted by concerns over their lack of union representation.

The ITF-run website www.akstaff-connect.org provides Air Asia (internationally shortened to AK) workers with a safe space to discuss their working conditions. The Malaysian-owned “no frills” airline has joint operations in Thailand and Indonesia and flies to destinations in Burma, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

The launch of the website coincided with the signing of a memorandum of understanding by the Malaysian ITF affiliate Malaysian Airline System Employees’ Union (MASEU) and the Indonesian cabin crew union Ikatan Awak Kabin Garuda Indonesia (IKAGI), also an affiliate.

This commits both organisations to work together to best represent the needs of civil aviation workers across the region, including those of Air Asia employees. Both unions have had serious problems to deal with in recent years. The Indonesian national carrier Garuda has a poor safety record, while staff have experienced inadequate pay and working conditions, as well as anti-union intimidation.

In Malaysia the national airline has been struggling against losses, triggering a major voluntary retrenchment programme negotiated by the union. Indeed the six-year old budget carrier Air Asia has positioned itself to take over some key domestic routes from Malaysian Airlines.

“It makes more sense than ever for aviation workers and trade unions across the region – and particularly those involved in or affected by the development of Air Asia – to come together to learn from and support one another”

Aviation in general is booming in this and other parts of Asia, and Air Asia’s influence is continuing to grow. In this climate it makes more sense than ever for aviation workers and trade unions across the region – and particularly those involved in or affected by the development of Air Asia – to come together to learn from and support one another.

Coming together

In a letter to the ITF, Mustafar Maarof, executive secretary of MASEU, commented: “Both MASEU and IKAGI are looking forward to diversifying our network in South East Asia. The memorandum of understanding and the web site will be our main basis in carrying out this objective.”

ITF civil aviation section secretary Ingo Marowsky saw the launch of the campaign website as “a significant step forward for civil aviation workers across Asia, as part of a growing push to increase their representation right across the region”.

Highlighting the organising potential of the website, he explained its intention to encourage Air Asia workers to take the debate forward themselves and show trade unions how they want them to proceed.

In a letter to the two unions congratulating them on their coming together and celebrating the launch of the website he said: “Air Asia will now have a place where they are taken care of – a contact who will listen to their questions and provide answers, a contact who is willing to provide them with support to form a collective voice and better work rules and wages.”

He added: “By connecting workers from countries where Air Asia has bases and by improving workers’ terms and conditions, a more level playing field for aviation in Asia is created. This is the only way forward for a prosperous aviation industry in the region and indeed worldwide. We are convinced that more of our trade union friends in the region will join us in this valuable work.”

Low-cost trends

The new push for a level playing field comes just as Air Asia and another major non-union low cost employer, RyanAir, in Europe, are planning to make inroads into the long-haul sector.

The gains they and other low cost names have already made in short-haul aviation have forced traditional airlines to make changes to compete. However, low cost brands have been less confident about the viability of bargain basement approaches to long flights. Here passengers may be less inclined to rough it out, the necessary fast turnaround times are harder to achieve, and cut price fare offers are already frequently available.

The last major such project, “People’s Express” of Freddy Laker, operating to the US, collapsed decades ago.

Yet while RyanAir is said to be looking at a long-haul challenge in three or four years’ time, Air Asia is looking to fly medium and long-haul routes by the end of this year. Newcomers Jet Air from India and Hong Kong based Oasis are low cost carriers already flying long-haul.

“Many other low cost airlines, including Southwest Airlines, have shown themselves to be committed to good labour relations and collective agreements with unions”

In the meantime, news of expansions, possible mergers, alliances and other activity in Air Asia’s operations is continuing to keep industry eyes on the buoyant Asian market. Established operators will consider making changes in order to remain competitive. From the workforce perspective, a non-union carrier is likely to have a negative influence on the kind of cost-cutting approaches they are expected to take.

The premise of the website campaign and the agreement between the unions Maseu and Ikagi is that good pay and fair working conditions for staff are crucial for any company’s long-term success.

The ITF and its affiliates believe that the best way to achieve this is through the recognition of a strong union, giving the workforce a clear, unified voice.
As the leading low cost airline in Asia, Air Asia aspires to follow the example of the successful Southwest Airlines in America.

Unions are not established at Air Asia, yet many other low cost airlines, including Southwest Airlines, have shown themselves to be committed to good labour relations and collective agreements with unions. All of them are successful carriers in their field.

Appeal to fairness

A charter inviting signatures on the website www.akstaff-connect.org sets out “to encourage an atmosphere that is free from conflict that distracts from the provision of optimal passenger service and flight safety and security.”

It asserts: “Employees deserve respect and the right to make a free choice about joining together with their co-workers for a unified voice in their workplace.”

It calls upon Air Asia employers all over the region to ensure that employees have the right to join, or not to join, a trade union of their choice, free from coercion and
victimisation.

This means no employee should be fired, harassed, intimidated, disciplined or subjected to surveillance in relation to any union activity or union position held. Indeed, the charter demands that management should undertake to confirm and promote to employees their right to make a free and informed choice on their representation at work.

It demands an environment conducive to free speech, in which management, employees and employee organisations are able to voice their views, whether for a union or against, “in a positive way that respects and honours the workers, the industry and the passengers”.

Finally, it calls upon management and employees’ unions to respect every employee’s choice. If workers choose to join together in a union, management and employee representatives must be committed to begin active negotiations, it says.

As TI went to press, it was yet to be seen what impact this organising and campaigning initiative would have on the aviation workers of South East Asia.