Norwegian pilots in Spain, closer to a Collective Labour Agreement (CLA)

Norwegian has finally acknowledged SEPLA as the representative of the pilots flying for Norwegian in Spain. Norwegian Air Shuttle has 7 bases in our country, with a total of 248 pilots.

Madrid, July 7th 2016.

The SEPLA Norwegian Company Council has finally been recognised by the Company. Last July 5th 2016 , a comprehensive recognition agreement with NAR Spain and OSM Aviation Spain, the companies through which Norwegian hires pilots in Spain, was signed allowing SEPLA to be the union representative of all Norwegian pilots based in Spain.

This agreement has been signed after two days of intensive negotiations with the representatives of NAR Spain and OSM Aviation Spain, which belong to the Norwegian Group, and almost two years after the first initial contact from SEPLA to Norwegian requesting the formal acknowledgement of SEPLA as the representative of all Norwegian pilots in Spain. The SEPLA Norwegian Company Council is comprised of five members, and was constituted in October 2015, after an election process held in SEPLA where only Norwegian pilots participated.

This recognition agreement has also allowed the SEPLA Norwegian Company Council to agree on a timeline with NAR Spain and OSM Spain that should lead to the negotiation of a CLA that will cover all Norwegian pilots employed in Spain. A CLA is paramount to place the long-term growth of Norwegian on more solid foundations, considering that in the last couple of years Norwegian has strengthened its short and medium range fleet in Spain.

“This is a small yet very important step that allows the SEPLA Norwegian Company Council to represent and protect the interests of all Norwegian Pilots employed in Spain.”, says Martin Stork, Chief Delegate of the SEPLA Norwegian Company Council. “It is the aim of the SEPLA Norwegian Company Council to have a comprehensive CLA in place in the shortest possible time, which is essential so that Norwegian can retain its pilots, considering the high demand for experienced pilots there is currently in the aviation market”.

Norwegian Air Shuttle hires pilots in Spain through a subsidiary company (NAR ES), and OSM Aviation Spain, which has recently become part of the Norwegian group through a Joint Venture between Norwegian Air Resources & OSM Aviation. The SEPLA Norwegian Company Council is looking forward to a constructive and long standing relationship with NAR Spain and OSM Spain. The signing of the recognition agreement helps to build the trust among all parts involved.

SEPLA Press Department