Today marks the start of a strike at airports across the country, organized by the Association of State Workers (ATE), which will impact operations on Thursday, September 3, and Friday, September 4.
The National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC) has communicated the functioning of the airport system during these days, demanding the union maintain at least 75% of operational services in compliance with the relevant regulations governing essential services.
In a statement from the Ministry of Transportation, ANAC highlighted that this request is based on Article 24 of Law No. 25,877, amended by Law No. 27,802. This law classifies commercial aviation as an essential service, establishing that during labor conflicts, a minimum coverage of 75% must be maintained. The time slots affected by the strike will be from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on both Thursday and Friday.
ANAC reported that it will monitor the compliance of these minimum services throughout both days, aiming to ensure the continuity of air operations and minimize the impact on scheduled flights. Outside of these time slots, airport services are expected to operate normally.
Although a coverage of 75% has been stipulated, ANAC anticipates that the impact on operations may vary by airport and airline. “It is expected that the operation may continue normally for the majority of services, although there could be delays or specific reprogramming during the time slots affected by the measures,” mentioned the agency.
ATE clarified that during the protest hours, only medical, humanitarian, and organ transfer flights will be guaranteed, while other commercial services may be affected at the airlines’ discretion. Therefore, passengers are advised to check the status of their flights in advance.
The conflict arises from a salary and labor demand from ANAC workers regarding unmet salary increases since January. Rodolfo Aguiar, General Secretary of ATE Nacional, expressed that the labor situation has worsened and salaries do not reflect the responsibilities of the sector. He also stated that the Government has not responded to their demands, which could extend the conflict beyond the scheduled strike days.
ANAC will continue to monitor compliance with the minimum legal service during the hours of the strike, which means that airports will be under surveillance to ensure the minimum operational service.
Source: www.infobae.com
