Garuda pilots may strike this Thursday.

25 Jul 2011 13:13:00

A longer during conflict over wages is about to escalate as pilots associated in the Garuda Pilots Association (Asosiasi Pilot Garuda, APG) threatened to go on strike this Thursday (July 28), if their demands are not met. The pilots demand an increase in their wages so they are paid as much as foreign pilots.

Do to a lack of Indonesian pilots Garuda Indonesia has hired foreign pilots to fill the gap. These contract workers received salary that can be twice as much as their Indonesian equivalent. A foreign co-pilot receives about Rp. 61 million a month, while a Indonesian captain receives Rp. 40 million a month. This results in the strange situation when on a flight an Indonesian captain is accompanied by a foreign co-pilot, the captain has the responsibility, takes the final decisions and bears the risk, but earns less than his co-pilot.

The conflict is going on for some time now but it seems with the recent threat it is about to come to a climax. The government has urged Garuda to fix the problem and do everything it can to prevent the strike as it will disturb the operations and will causes problems for thousands of travelers. Garuda defends the higher pay for foreign workers. Since they are contract workers they do not get insurance, pensions and other benefits normally employed Indonesian pilots do get.

Garuda employs over 900 pilots of which only 40 are foreign. A 100% wage increase of all its Indonesian pilots is unlikely to happen, Garuda is also not in the position to stop hiring foreign contract workers as there are not enough Indonesian pilots to fly all its planes. It is yet unclear if a solution will be found or the strike will got through this Thursday. If you fly with Garuda on this date, please check the news carefully.

UPDATE 28-07-2011 There will be no flight cancellations, Thursday Garuda flights will be as scheduled.