Czech Airlines management was informed of the intention of the Cabin Crew Trade Union to declare a strike late in the evening on Thursday, 20 August.

Czech Airlines is currently taking a series of measures to ensure the standard operation of all company services irrespective of the strike. Czech Airlines management has the full support of its shareholders in this regard.

Czech Airlines management considers the strike declared by the Cabin Crew Trade Union to be an illegal act. If the strike is declared illegal by a court of law, Czech Airlines management will require the organizers and participants to reimburse the company for any financial damage incurred by the company.

The Cabin Crew Trade Union Committee is pushing the flight attendants to strike while the majority of flight attendants do not wish to strike. The Cabin Crew Trade Union is not willing to participate in changes in Czech Airlines despite the first positive economic results the changes have already generated. During the first half of the year, Czech Airlines recorded a profit of almost 13 million Czech crowns – for the first time in several years. Expectations for the
3rd quarter of the year suggest that the trend will continue. Czech Airlines management has repeatedly emphasized to the union representatives that the company must first generate profit as further losses are unacceptable.

The current Czech Airlines crew average gross monthly income for the February – June 2015 period is as follows:

Regular Czech Airlines flight attendants: CZK 32,300 plus additional compensation and travel expenses equal to CZK 9,000/month.
Czech Airlines heads of cabin: CZK 39,500 plus additional compensation and travel expenses equal to CZK 9,000/month.
Czech Airlines has suggested a 14% and 9% increase of the average gross income for cabin crew and heads of cabin, respectively.

The above-given figures represent the maximum compromise Czech Airlines management can offer in terms of salary increases. Czech Airlines management has repeatedly raised its offer during the course of negotiations with the Cabin Crew Trade Union to the very maximum amount economically sustainable by the company. Czech Airlines management can appreciate the specificity and demanding character of the job of flight attendants. However, it is limited by the fact that Czech Airlines must be profitable at the end of the year as the carrier cannot afford another year of losses. Czech Airlines management is ready to confirm the final salary increase proposed.