An escalation in the ongoing dispute between air traffic controllers and aviation authorities causes costly delays on the ground and in the skies, reports Amirah Ibrahim On Monday, 150 air traffic controllers gathered at the Cairo Airport control tower to demand that the "unfair" punishments that had been meted out to eight of their colleagues for supposedly "plotting to cause damages to their company" be immediately reversed. When the authorities refused to even consider negotiating their demands, the situation rapidly escalated. By Tuesday, a fully-fledged air traffic controllers' strike was in full swing, causing delays, and costing the Civil Aviation Authority millions. According to Atef Abdel- Hameed, chairman of the EgyptAir holding company, an earlier, 10-day work slowdown that took place in March -- which ended with the disciplinary action that the controllers were now fighting against -- caused losses of $31 million. "Our losses today, on just the first day of the strike, are already estimated at $600,000, and we expect things to get worse in the coming days." The earlier industrial action -- which involved a sit-in and work slowdown at five main airports -- was in protest against low wages, and included a list of demands that were described by aviation officials as impossible to fulfill. Amongst them -- an immediate 100 per cent raise in net salaries, with another 25 per cent increase in the next two years. After trying and failing to take their case to President Hosni Mubarak, the controllers ended their sit- in without a single demand met. Instead, "management struck back," said one controller, by cutting the salaries of eight controllers whom management accused of leading the revolt. One of those who were docked said the authorities' response was "totally fabricated; one of the people whose pay was cut was not even on shift when he supposedly caused damages and losses to the company." Four controllers received a 15-day salary cut; three others were docked for 20 days; and one had a whole month's wages rescinded. An air traffic controller who joined his striking colleagues on Monday night said there hadn't even been an investigation. "I'm here to stand against such arbitrary procedures and show solidarity with my colleagues," he said. The controllers demanded that the salary cuts be reversed within two hours, threatening to close down air navigation at seven main airports otherwise. When no answer arrived, the controllers headed to the navigation tower, but were stopped at the door by "security forces, who held us up for hours before we were able to get inside," said one. Once they did manage to get in, the controllers adjusted their plan, starting another control tower sit-in. The air traffic controllers are arguing that, "less-qualified air controllers in countries that are much poorer than Egypt earn much more than us." But according to Air Navigation Company head Ahmed Said, the company's resources don't allow for the salary increase being demanded by the workers. "We don't have magic wands to make their dreams true," Said said. Although it would not be too difficult to raise salaries for the 500 or so controllers, what the authorities are really worried about is a spillover effect of such a capitulation on other aviation sectors. A senior air controller said the job satisfaction ceiling had also been lowered. "Ever since the Aviation Ministry was established in May 2002, retired air force generals have dominated the top posts in every sector, which means qualified senior air controllers who used to be promoted to airport manager positions aren't any more. Thanks to the minister, an ex-air force commander, we don't have much of a career future to look forward to." Making matters worse, the newly appointed managers are over paid, "getting salaries that ranges between LE30-40,000, with monthly bonuses of LE12,000, and seasonal bonuses that may reach LE30,000," the senior controller said. "They are very well paid with our money." Controllers also want that the government make up for an estimated LE2.5 million shortfall in their pension funds, and provide more job security for their younger colleagues, who are increasingly on temporary contracts that feature a clause allowing the employer to terminate the contract at any time. At an urgent meeting with 12 air controllers, including the head of the Air Controllers Union, Magdi Abdel-Hadi who led the strike, Civil Aviation Minister Ahmed Shafiq seemed to escalate the situation further by saying the ministry was set to "hire foreign air controllers to supervise air navigation at seven airports, within a week." He said there would be "no tolerance and no forgiveness" for dissenters, and that "those who chose to stay and work would be fired for the simplest of mistakes, even if made unintentionally." Shafiq announced that three controllers had indeed already been fired for "asking aircrafts for their flight registration plan, which is not their job, and which was done deliberately to slow down traffic. They thought they would get away with it, but now they've lost their jobs, and will have to find a way to feed their families." As a result of the strike, 50 Cairo airport flights were delayed for between three to seven hours each; a Korean carrier's flight had to be delayed for 12 hours. Thousands of passengers were kept waiting at the airport for hours, while others were transferred to nearby hotels for an overnight stay. Shafiq also painted a picture of chaos in the sky, with "aircraft held up for three hours or more, some suffering from a shortage of fuel, and threatened with disaster. Is this what you want to do to your country?" Shafiq asked the controllers angrily. Egypt received a warning from IATA, the global aviation body, after the March sit-in. Shafiq said some airlines had also "requested compensation for the delays that damaged their business and disturbed their passengers. And you will have to pay for that," he threatened the controllers. "I swear you will." He also warned that criminal charges would be pressed against those air controllers who plotted against the company and caused serious losses. He called the controllers liars, and listed the bonuses they had gotten over the last three years. "You are not loyal to your country and company. Young air controllers get LE2,000 monthly for the first three years, even though they are still considered trainees. As for bonuses, a controller with 26 years of service got LE3,705, while one with 16 years of service got LE2,189. Your most recent bonus was LE732, and you've gotten an additional pension credit through which you get LE470,000 on retirement." Shafiq then turned to Abdel-Hadi and asked him if what he had said was true. As Abdel- Hadi nodded his head, Shafiq said, "You are traitors and should be executed. I am willing to do it, but via legal channels."
