TAP imposes 12-month layoff starting Monday

Portuguese flag carrier TAP Air Portugal is to start a lay-off process from Monday, which will reduce normal working hours or the suspension of contracts for 12 months.

According to a message sent to employees, to which Lusa had access, the airline said that “this lay-off process will not result in a reduction in pay for workers beyond the reductions imposed by the Emergency Agreement(s) signed with the unions or, where applicable, by the substitute schemes approved by TAP.

The airline said that “given the current context, as part of the process of declaring TAP in Difficult Economic Situation (SED) we have to resort to measures under the procedure to reduce normal working periods or suspend work contracts, which begin on March 1, and will last for an estimated period of 12 months.

In the same note, the carrier said, “this lay-off is similar to the one used from April to November 2020. TAP said that it would report on the differences, especially concerning their application and practical implementation, as the process continues.

In March 2021, all TAP workers will be covered by a reduction in working hours by a certain percentage: (1) in most of the ground areas, there will be a 25% reduction, with only one exception that will have a smaller reduction; (2) in the case of the flight crew, i.e. cabin and cockpit crew, the reduction in hours is completely related to the plans already made, i.e. each crew member will have a different reduction in hours according to the plans that have been disclosed,” TAP said.

The company also announced that “each worker will be informed tomorrow [Saturday], February 27, of their specific situation in terms of the regime/modality that will be applied.”

The National Union of Civil Aviation Flight Staff (SNPVAC) and the Union of Civil Aviation Pilots (SPAC) approved the company’s emergency agreements on Friday.