Rough Translation

Right-wing governments sound pretty much the same in any language. Take a look.

”Thus they ANULLED the working conditions agreed in the negotiations between the company, Spanish Airports & Air Navigation (AENA) and its employees, represented by their professional union USCA. The said working conditions are to be found in the collective agreement, which is a legal document valid since 1st January 1999. In the said agreement, it was established that all the articles would be maintained until another agreement was signed. ”

”Following a collective negotiation aimed at reaching a new agreement, which was broken off unilaterally by the company on February 2nd 2010, the Spanish Government decided to become judge and jury, annulling three days later the present collective agreement and dictating new working conditions.

The premeditation in such a measure is evident. That very same 2 February, at the very moment negotiations broke down, the union representatives learnt of a 52-page document on “crisis management” whose authorship Aena had no choice but to admit. The Royal Decree is already mentioned in this document. ”

Any of this sounding familiar, NATCA members?

Remember Your Friends

”Here’s a video of Congressman Pete DeFazio, back when the FAA was driving the controller contract negotiations to an impasse so they could impose their work rules on you. You remember -- Joe Miniace, Marion Blakey and George W. Bush.”

I know the stilted English of the APROCTA presentation (a .pdf file) makes for difficult reading but surely you see the commonality.

”Air traffic control in Spain suffers from a serious shortage of air controllers. This shortage has meant that for several years the service in Spain has been covered by relying on the good will of employees to do overtime. ”

Overtime is Spain is paid as triple time. It’s not hard to figure out where the inflated salary figures are coming from once you know that is it?

”Considering all the above, we ask for the support of all world citizens to condemn the Spanish Government for taking such dictatorial decisions infringing the rights of European workers and jeopardizing safety in the air.”

I think NATCA should support them. Not that it will make a difference, mind you. But misery loves company. And one day, somewhere in the future, when workers decide they’ve had enough of the unholy alliance between corporations and governments, it will be nice to have some friends.

Don Brown
December 7, 2010