After a record net profit of $768.7 million in 2020 and $1.3 billion in 2021, Cargolux has just announced another record year with a net profit of $1.6 billion.

Cargolux management categorically refuses any improvement in wages, any lasting improvement in working conditions and any adequate job security for all employees after 15 sessions of negotiations for a new collective agreement for Cargolux’s more than 1,800 employees, which have been going on for 10 months.

Faced with the Cargolux management’s unwillingness to enter into real and serious negotiations, the OGBL and LCGB filed a complaint with the National Conciliation Service (ONC) on February 17. At the first meeting of the ONC, Cargolux management confirmed its unwillingness by requesting that the dispute be declared inadmissible. However, after analysis and consideration, the ONC rejected Cargolux’s request and confirmed the legitimacy of the unions’ submission.

In preparation for the next conciliation meeting, three new bargaining sessions were scheduled to discuss the priority issues communicated by the syndicates at the request of the ONC. At the first of these meetings, Cargolux management informed the unions that it would appeal to the Administrative Court against the ONC’s decision.

Although Cargolux had already been denied the same request by the ONC during the last collective agreement renewal negotiations, history is now repeating itself before the ONC. This new action by Cargolux is unprecedented in Luxembourg, as no employer has ever challenged an ONC decision before the Administrative Court.

Cargolux’s action challenges the legitimacy of the ONC and is aimed solely at destroying the Luxembourg model of social dialogue. This attack on the ONC and the Luxembourg model of social dialogue is unacceptable in view of Cargolux’s shareholding structure. It is also detrimental to the ongoing negotiations and represents a totally irresponsible escalation of the collective dispute on the part of Cargolux management. If negotiations fail, industrial action is inevitable!

Over the past three years, which have been marked by the pandemic, the employees have made great efforts and shown unwavering commitment, enabling Cargolux to meet the various challenges and achieve record profits for three consecutive years. Instead of properly rewarding its employees for their exemplary work, Cargolux management continues to show contempt for its employees.

The OGBL and LCGB remain committed to finding fair and equitable solutions in these negotiations. They therefore once again call on management to live up to its responsibilities to its employees, the company and Luxembourg as a business location by negotiating a forward-looking collective agreement for all employees.

Press release dated April 26

The OGBL and the LCGB have submitted a complaint to the National Conciliation Office following the lack of willingness of Cargolux management to enter into real and serious negotiations in the context of the renewal of the collective agreement.

Despite excellent results, with a record net profit of US$ 768.7 million in 2020, US$ 1.3 billion in 2021 and a new record year expected in 2022, the management categorically refuses any wage increase as well as any sustainable improvement in working conditions.

During the last three years, marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff has made great efforts that have enabled Cargolux to meet the various challenges and to achieve record profits for three consecutive years. A recognition of these efforts for all employees is therefore more than justified within the collective agreement.

In addition to an attractive remuneration model that reflects the cost of living in Luxembourg and honors the experience and commitment of the staff, the collective agreement should also include measures to improve the work-life balance, as well as greater stability in the work plans of all employees.

In addition, long-term career perspectives with adequate job security must be guaranteed for all employees. This implies that the investments already made and those to be made in the future, such as the conversion of part of the Cargolux fleet to Boeing 777-8Fs, must be made at the Luxembourg site within the framework of the existing collective agreement. The investments must not be used to relocate jobs abroad, nor to employ staff outside the Cargolux collective agreement, nor to circumvent the collective agreement.

The contracting unions demand that the management assumes its responsibility for the company and for Luxembourg as a economic location and negotiates a future-oriented collective agreement for all employees.

Press release on February 22, 2023

As a result of the agreement in principle reached during the tripartite meeting of September 26, 2022, the OGBL, the LCGB and the NGL-SNEP have finalized with the general management of Luxair the different related texts.

After validation of the different texts, they were signed on December 22, 2022.

As a reminder, the main points retained are

In view of a clear improvement of the economic situation allowing a return to better fortunes for the company, the parties have put an end to the job protection plan (Plan de Maintien dans l’Emploi – PME) as of January 1, 2023.

The end of the PME therefore allows :

• the end of short-time working for cyclical reasons with immediate effect;
• the end of short-time working based on structural factors for employees in the CDR as of January 1, 2023;
• the Council of Government maintains its decision of July 23, 2021 regarding the authorization of the assignment of the 69 employees of the CDR within the framework of a temporary redistribution of workers (prêt temporaire de main-d’oeuvre);
• the early retirements initially planned for the year 2023 remain guaranteed on a voluntary basis by the employees;
• the end of the wage freeze as of January 1, 2023.

In addition to the annex of the PME, the social partners have also signed an annex to the collective agreement, which establishes the reinstatement of the annual/biennial wage increases, as provided for in the salary scales, as of 01 January 2023.

The unions would like to thank all Luxair employees for their commitment and support, without which this result could not have been achieved.

Regarding the current state of the social dialogue, a series of unilateral meetings with the mediator were held, during which the trade unions and the employees’ representatives presented the employees’ demands and grievances.

Following these meetings, the mediator has now scheduled a first mediation meeting with all parties for January, with a view to finding concrete solutions.

The trade unions will remain committed until all problems are resolved in the interest of all Luxair employees.

Press release by the OGBL, the LCGB and the NGL-SNEP,
December 22, 2022

L’OGBL et le LCGB saluent la commande officielle effectuée le 12 octobre par Cargolux de 10 nouveaux avions Boeing 777-8F remplaçant les Boeing 747-400F utilisés jusqu’à ce jour. En même temps, les syndicats exigent que cet investissement renforce le site et les emplois au Luxembourg.

Cette commande permettra à Cargolux de faire face aux défis de l’avenir et de poursuivre ses activités avec succès. En outre, elle constitue un signal important pour le site aéronautique luxembourgeois et les plus de 25.000 salariés (dont 6.000 emplois directs) travaillant dans ce secteur. Les trois dernières années ont montré que Cargolux est un employeur d’importance pour le Luxembourg et qu’il est possible d’opérer avec succès au niveau international à partir du Luxembourg.

Par conséquent, les plus de 1.800 employés de Cargolux travaillant au Luxembourg s’attendent à juste titre à ce que tous les nouveaux Boeing 777-8F commandés aujourd’hui soient pilotés, entretenus et gérés administrativement par le personnel de Cargolux employé au Luxembourg et tombant sous le champ d’application de la convention collective existante. L’introduction du Boeing 777-8F par Cargolux ne doit pas être utilisée pour délocaliser des emplois à l’étranger ou pour employer le personnel pour ce type d’avion en dehors de la convention collective de Cargolux.

Communiqué le 12 octobre 2022