Photo: easyJet easyJet pilots based in France have been called to strike on September 13 and 14 after negotiations over working schedules failed to produce what their union describes as meaningful improvements.
The French section of the National Union of Airline Pilots (SNPL) says it has filed a two-day strike notice, accusing easyJet management of failing to address what it calls "chronic instability" in pilot schedules. The planned action could lead to flight disruption for passengers traveling with the airline during the two-day period.
According to the union, discussions with easyJet have been ongoing for around four months. SNPL says it has proposed measures designed to give pilots greater certainty over their rosters, but claims management has not made sufficient commitments.
The dispute centers on the frequency with which pilots' schedules can be changed. SNPL says pilots can see their rosters repeatedly altered during a month, sometimes with changes being made shortly before a flight.
The union argues that the problem goes beyond inconvenience. According to SNPL, constant changes make it difficult for pilots to plan family commitments, appointments and rest periods. It also says the resulting frustration and fatigue can contribute to psychosocial risks.
SNPL claims internal company figures show that schedule changes affecting pilots in France have been particularly frequent for at least two years. The union says some pilots can reach the end of a month with almost none of the days in their roster remaining as originally planned.
The dispute has intensified following industrial action by easyJet cabin crew in France in August.
Cabin crew members staged a strike on August 15 and 16 over working conditions and scheduling issues. After the action, easyJet agreed to additional protections, including a mechanism allowing five days of the monthly schedule to be locked in, according to the union.
SNPL says pilots were previously told that similar protections were not possible for them. The union now argues that the agreement with cabin crew demonstrates that greater schedule stability can be achieved.
The pilots' union says the difference is particularly difficult to understand because pilots and cabin crew work on the same aircraft and rotations and operate within the same environment.
SNPL also argues that predictable schedules are directly connected to pilot recovery and alertness. The union says improving roster stability is therefore not simply an employment benefit but an issue that can affect the conditions in which pilots carry out their duties.
According to SNPL, negotiations over compensation have progressed sufficiently that an agreement could potentially be reached. The union says the main obstacle is now the Planning department's refusal to make concrete commitments on schedule stability.
SNPL claims that some of the measures it is seeking already exist elsewhere within easyJet's international operations.
The union says it has identified several causes of the scheduling problems and proposed solutions, but accuses management of refusing to make firm commitments to address them.
Despite announcing the strike, SNPL says the action could still be avoided. The union says it remains open to dialogue and is calling on easyJet to introduce comparable protections for pilots.