Lufthansa Technik concludes decisive collective agreements
Lufthansa Technik Malta (LTM) has concluded two milestone collective agreements with the Association of Airline Engineers (Malta), also known as AAE, and the Union Haddiema Maghqudin (UHM), which represent the company's employees. The conclusion of the...
Lufthansa Technik Malta (LTM) has concluded two milestone collective agreements with the Association of Airline Engineers (Malta), also known as AAE, and the Union Haddiema Maghqudin (UHM), which represent the company's employees.
The conclusion of the two collective agreements was a critical precondition to the investment project negotiated between Lufthansa Technik Malta and the government.
A key issue in the discussions was the need of a longer duration for the agreements. Both collective agreements expire on December 31, 2012.
The agreements introduce a flexible working hour model that ranges between 32 and 48 hours, subject to the company's exigencies and pre-advice to employees. Due to the seasonality experienced in this industry, a banking of hours system that has a plus and minus hours threshold has been introduced to provide more flexibility to the company.
"The successfully concluded agreements provide growth and development opportunities for current and future employees of Lufthansa Technik Malta," Lufthansa Technik Malta's chief executive Louis Giordimaina said. "These agreements are a significant step forward by way of final preparation for the launch of our major expansion project.
"Our plan envisages that the first aircraft as part of this new project is scheduled to be in the new hangar in October 2008. Through their co-operation and understanding, our employees together with the respective unions have shown their commitment to the company and its plans, as well as their willingness to grow and develop with the company that is operating in an increasingly competitive global industry."
The AAE agreement was signed by the chairman of the LTM-AAE group committee, Kevin Mallia, the secretary, Mark Spiteri, as well as the other two committee members of the Lufthansa Technik Malta group committee, in the presence of the AAE president and vice-president, Stefan Grech and Ing. Adrian Rizzo, respectively.
The UHM agreement was signed by secretary general Gejtu Vella, Manufacturing and Services Section secretary Nicholas Baldacchino, as well as group committee members.
On the company's side, both agreements were signed by Dr Thomas Stueger, director of Lufthansa Technik Malta Ltd and board member on the Lufthansa executive board, Mr Giordimaina ,and human resources manager Antoinette Caruana.
While AAE negotiated on behalf of certifying staff and graduate engineers, the UHM represented support staff, technical and production staff, materials and logistics employees and administration.