Pilot Strike Begins at Latam as National and International Operations Adjust

Original article: Paro de pilotos: arranca la huelga en Latam y se ajusta la operación nacional e internacional

At midnight on Wednesday, the strike called by the Latam Pilots Union (SPL) commenced after negotiations with the airline ended without agreement, and mediation by the Directorate of Labor (DT) failed to resolve the conflict.

About 500 pilots, representing over half of the professionals operating flights for the company in Chile, are participating in this mobilization, which has forced the airline to implement cancellations and preventive adjustments to its national and international operations.

An Avoidable Conflict and the Breakdown of Dialogue

The strike was triggered by the failure of the mediation process at the Directorate of Labor. The SPL accused Latam’s management of «refusing to continue discussions» by prematurely closing this process, which still had five days left for negotiations.

«We find it inexplicable that the company’s management has led us to a strike that we have always considered avoidable when comparing the company’s profits to our modest labor demands,» stated Mario Troncoso, president of the SPL.

Troncoso added that «the company never provided us with the figures that formed the basis of their economic proposal; they refused to honor their commitment to restore the conditions we temporarily reduced in 2020.»

«They started transferring flights to subsidiaries, which we consider a replacement of striking workers, and now refuse to continue discussions,» he condemned.

He also claimed that Latam «has done everything possible to ensure that the start of the strike does not coincide with the report of profits for the third quarter of this year, so as not to have to explain to the public a conflict with its workers at the same time it reports its highest profits in history.»

The conflict has been escalating since last week when 97% of the workers rejected the company’s last offer, which they felt did not significantly improve the initial proposal.

The pilots argue that during the pandemic, they accepted salary reductions and adjustments to their working conditions to ensure the company’s continuity, commitments that they assert Latam is now unwilling to reverse.

The union emphasized the moderation of its demands in light of the airline’s financial health, stating that their request «amounts to less than 1%» of the $1.5 billion in profits that Latam is believed to have accumulated over the past 18 months.

“This time, with Latam’s $1.5 billion in profits, the bright projections for the industry, and the very modest request from the pilots, we expected that reason would prevail during mediation. It pains us to see that management has used more than $800 million this year to distribute profits and buy back its own shares, yet is unwilling to recognize the efforts of its own workers,” questioned Troncoso in comments reported by The Clinic.

In response to these accusations, Latam Airlines released a statement reaffirming its ongoing willingness to engage in dialogue with the union and its commitment to reaching a beneficial agreement for all parties involved.

Latam Adjusts National and International Operations

In anticipation of the strike, Latam implemented a contingency plan that includes the cancellation and rescheduling of dozens of flights with origins and destinations within the country.

The company confirmed that the preventive cancellations are concentrated on November 12 and 13 and affect «less than 10% of passengers traveling to or from Chile.»

The airline assured that various options have been offered to customers to facilitate rebooking, including changing dates or flights at no cost, voluntary trip modifications without penalties, and full refunds for tickets and associated services.

«Continuing with our commitment to all passengers with flights scheduled on these dates, and to ensure they have peace of mind and the necessary support, we have implemented measures to reduce the number of affected individuals and offer them the best possible alternatives,» said Paulo Miranda, Vice President of Customers at Latam Airlines Group.

A sweep conducted at the New Pudahuel Airport by the team from La Tercera detailed, for example, the cancellation of flights LA203 to Concepción, LA370 to Calama, and LA900 to Iquique. Internationally, flight LA2697 from Lima has also been canceled.