Four U.S. lawmakers proposed a bill on Thursday that would block Norwegian Air’s plans to introduce a new route between Cork and Boston, “unless the carrier complies with basic, fair U.S. or European Union labor standards.”
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Transport (DOT) gave tentative approval to the airline’s application for a foreign carrier permit, allowing it to begin offering international service to the United States.
The low-cost airline had intended to start flights in August.
The four Congressmen who introduced the bill opposing the plan have called the department’s decision “short-sighted,” reports NewsTalk.
Democrats Peter DeFazio and Rick Larsen, and Republicans Frank LoBiondo and Lynn Westmoreland are behind the bipartisan bill.
A statement released on the bill says: “NAI established itself in Ireland, where labor laws permit the airline to hire its pilots and flight attendants on individual employment contracts under non-European law in order to cut costs.
“NAI’s overt practice of labor forum-shopping violates our Open Skies agreement with Norway and the European Union and gives it an unfair competitive advantage in the transatlantic market.
“‘Consumers may purchase tickets on Norwegian.com and they may board planes marked Norwegian in big bold letters, but this airline is ‘Norwegian’ in name only. The DOT record shows that Norwegian Air International is headquartered in Ireland and employs contract crews based in Thailand to circumvent Norway’s fair and strong labor standards. It’s a virtual airline set up to undercut competition by exploiting cheap labor. Our bipartisan legislation sends a strong message to DOT—we must stop this race to the bottom, and protect the open and fair transatlantic aviation market,’ said DeFazio.”
Norwegian Air issued a statement opposing the legislation that it called a "last ditch attempt to derail the approval."
"NAI's application is supported by scores of U.S. airports, communities, travelers, travel, tourism and business interests," the airline said in a statement.
The statement addressed its Irish operations, saying: “Opponents claim that Ireland is simply a ‘flag of convenience’. In reality, NAI is headquartered in Dublin with 80 employees, 37 aircraft registered in Ireland, and already operates flights to and from Ireland, with many more routes planned.”
The transportation department is asking for additional comment through May 13, before it finalizes its approval, USA Today reports.
The DOT has ruled that, as part of its tentative approval, the airline is financially and operationally fit to fly, and that Irish safety oversight meets the requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration.
Between 2011 and 2013, Norwegian Air Shuttle (NAS) has received harsh criticism regarding its treatment of employees. The media first reported NAS's announced intention to open a base in Helsinki, from where it hired pilots on short-term contracts (in Estonia) rather than as employees within the company. The Norwegian tax-office authorities suspected in August 2012 that many Norwegian citizens were working for NAS on these contracts and not paying Norwegian taxes despite operating on flights originating from Norway.[88][89]
The Norwegian Pilot's Union (NPU) brought NAS to court over the short-term contracts. NAS CEO Bjørn Kjos only inflamed matters when he declared that NAS would no longer hire employees on Norwegian terms.[90][91]
In the fall of 2012, NAS started to use contract-employed pilots on routes within Scandinavia, which was considered by the NPU to be an abrogation of labor terms regarding non-Scandinavian pilots on routes within Scandinavia. NPU soon after sued NAS.[92]
In October 2013, the NPU announced their intention to strike as NAS forced its pilots to face dismissal or transfer to Norwegian Air Norway or Norwegian Air Resources AB, both subsidiaries of NAS. The respective subsidiary would then lease the pilots back to NAS. NPU and their Swedish counterpart SPF accused NAS of using this ploy to break the solidarity and organization of the pilots, with the eventual goal of co-ercing pilots to converting their jobs to contract positions.[93][94]
In mid-December, NAS faced its Swedish non-contract flight-attendants with either dismissal or transference to Proffice Aviation, an external staffing company. According to the Swedish cabin-crew union, Unionen, it managed to save the jobs of 53 NAS employees, but it was dissatisfied with the direction NAS had taken. The situation led to the leader for the Swedish Left Party, Jonas Sjöstedt, to state that stricter regulation is needed for the use of staffing-companies in Sweden.[95]
So good on the politicians! I was planning to be outraged about the Republicans doing something crazy bad, topic disappointed in that regards.unless the carrier complies with basic, fair U.S. or European Union labor standards.
As a Norwegian, fuck Norwegian.
Let's not pretend that's everything at stake here. Lynn Westmoreland, for instance, is from Georgia, home of Delta Airlines, and has received $155,096 in campaign contributions from air transport companies in his career. Peter DeFazio has received $425,458 in campaign contributions from those same companies and nearly as much again from unions and associations related to air transportYou know you have some fucked up labor rules when even the US right is calling you out for this shit, lol >.>
First post fail?Sucks for them, now their plans are up in the air
Let's not pretend that's everything at stake here. Lynn Westmoreland, for instance, is from Georgia, home of Delta Airlines, and has received $155,096 in campaign contributions from air transport companies in his career. Peter DeFazio has received $425,458 in campaign contributions from those same companies and nearly as much again from unions and associations related to air transport
Consumers may purchase tickets on Norwegian.com and they may board planes marked Norwegian in big bold letters, but this airline is Norwegian in name only. The DOT record shows that Norwegian Air International is headquartered in Ireland and employs contract crews based in Thailand to circumvent Norways fair and strong labor standards. Its a virtual airline set up to undercut competition by exploiting cheap labor.
A statement released on the bill says: NAI established itself in Ireland, where labor laws permit the airline to hire its pilots and flight attendants on individual employment contracts under non-European law in order to cut costs.
This seems to be one of the rare occasions where corporate interest aligns with the public interest. No surprise that's what it takes for congress to do its job.
Actually I'm pretty sure the public interest would be in the cheapest flights possible. It's a rare instance where corporate interest is morally right, but against the majority opinion.
Actually I'm pretty sure the public interest would be in the cheapest flights possible. It's a rare instance where corporate interest is morally right, but against the majority opinion.
Actually I'm pretty sure the public interest would be in the cheapest flights possible. It's a rare instance where corporate interest is morally right, but against the majority opinion.
Actually I'm pretty sure the public interest would be in the cheapest flights possible. It's a rare instance where corporate interest is morally right, but against the majority opinion.
Actually I'm pretty sure the public interest would be in the cheapest flights possible. It's a rare instance where corporate interest is morally right, but against the majority opinion.