SINGAPORE : Singapore Airlines said Tuesday it has signed a
collective agreement with its pilots' union, ending protracted and
sometimes bitter negotiations over wages and employment
terms.
The airline said the three-year accord signed on Monday with the
Air Line Pilots Association of Singapore (ALPA-S) narrows down the
gap between the minimum and maximum salaries of pilots.
It also provides for a bigger portion of remuneration to be in the
form of a variable component linked to productivity.
To increase productivity, the annual limit on flying hours would be
raised to 1,000 hours from 900.
Pilots' annual leave was also raised to between 32 and 36 days from
28 days, SIA said in a statement to the Singapore stock
exchange.
SIA chief executive Chew Choon Seng said the signing of the
agreement would enable the carrier to focus on meeting increasing
competition as the aviation industry is liberalised and the number
of low-fare carriers expands.
"The amicable conclusion of this new agreement enhances harmony in
the organisation and enables SIA to be united in meeting the
challenges that all airlines will face with more open and liberal
markets, where superior service and price competitiveness will be
key success factors," he said. - AFP