Air Tahiti staff plan to strike later this week

By Andrew Curran.

Air Tahiti staff are threatening to strike later this week over wages, equipment, working conditions and staffing levels. Papeete-based Polynésie la 1ère reports that three unions have filed a strike notice on behalf of the airline’s ground and flight crews, who threaten to walk off the job from midnight on October 22.

The outlet says the unions want bigger bonuses, improved work schedules, better equipment and additional staff, among other demands.

The three unions are the Air Tahiti Commercial Flight Crew Union (Syndicat du Personnel Navigant Commercial d’Air Tahiti, SPENCAT); the Syndicat Confédération O Oe To Oe Rima I; and the Confédération des syndicats indépendants de Polynésie (CISP).

The unions are calling on all employees to stop work for an indefinite period. However, there is no guarantee that the strike will proceed or, if it does, that all union members will participate.

Air Tahiti is French Polynesia’s state-owned domestic airline. It operates a fleet of 13 aircraft, including two ATR42-600s and ten ATR72-600s, and flies to 45 airports across French Polynesia.

Air Tahiti pilots went on strike for three days in April, severely disrupting the carrier’s operations. The airline employs more than 1,600 people and is one of the territory’s biggest employers.

Aero South Pacific has contacted Air Tahiti for comment.

Photo: Air Tahiti.
Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com