A strike planned for today by Aeroméxico pilots over pay and working conditions was avoided but could still go ahead Wednesday.

The Association of Airline Pilots (ASPA) agreed to a request from federal Labor Secretary Roberto Campa to defer the work stoppage for 48 hours, meaning that it is now scheduled to begin at midnight on October 3.

The postponement will allow negotiations to continue with Mexico’s flag carrier over contracts for pilots who started working for the company in the past eight years.

ASPA last night rejected the collective labor agreement Aeroméxico is offering for 2018-2020, with salaries a key sticking point.

Under the airline’s proposal, pilots that were employed after 2010 will continue to receive salaries and benefits 40% lower than those who began their employment prior to that date.

ASPA agreed to the inferior pay and conditions for so-called “B Contract” pilots in 2010 when the global financial crisis was still affecting the airline industry.

But today the pilots believe that the economic situation of the sector — and Aeroméxico — is completely different from eight years ago and that the wage and benefits disparity should end.

“The dissatisfaction, anger and frustration of pilots on B contracts is real and in the face of the refusal of the company to grant adjustments . . . the [union] assembly rejected in their totality the terms of the negotiation,” ASPA said.

Aeroméxico said via its Twitter account last night that all flights are going ahead as scheduled.

Source: El Financiero (sp)