Skopje, 4 October 2023 (MIA) — The Macedonian Air Traffic Controllers' Association has voiced its support for the Oct. 12 strike announced by the Trade Union of Air Traffic Controllers, saying the strike is the culmination of their numerous requests to improve working conditions in the national air navigation service provider M-NAV. Air traffic controllers, among other things, demand clean air and a better supply of water, the release says.

"Our common requests have intensified in the last year and a half, as evidenced by our numerous letters to the management, because our working conditions are more than shameful for a company from this industry," the Macedonian Air Traffic Controllers' Association said in a press release.

Air traffic controllers and assistant air traffic controllers, the release says, work in substandard conditions, with outdated air ventilation, cooling and heating systems that have not been serviced for many years, and water shortages and water restrictions.

"This is a basic human need," they highlight, noting that their work conditions jeopardize their health "although we are subject to various competency checks, medical examinations, and mandatory professional training courses according to world and European standards."

"Only through cooperation amid the staff have we managed to profesionally fulfill all work obligations," the release notes.

The air controllers also say they work with "an outdated and technologically limited air traffic control system, and working with it only puts the controllers and assistant air traffic controllers under additional pressure and stress."

"At the same time, we are witnessing years of irresponsible resource management that has led to the creation of inhumane conditions, and a degrading and highly demotivating work atmosphere," the release adds.

"It is for these reasons that we stand by the Trade Union of Air Traffic Controllers and support the union's decision to strike."

"We also ask the management of M-NAV to refrain from personal attacks on individuals, and treat air traffic controllers, assistant air traffic controllers, and all other employees with respect," the Macedonian Air Traffic Controllers' Association release says.

The association's release is in response to a press release by the M-NAV management, which said the Trade Union of Air Traffic Controllers leader Aleksandar Tasevski's statements were "tendentious" and "do not show the real picture of operations at M-NAV."

"M-NAV is an institution that works according to the highest European and world standards for air traffic management and control. This year we recorded a historic year with increased traffic over 20 percent compared to 2019 (the best year before the COVID-19 crisis) and with responsible management by the Board of Directors we have serviced all obligations to employees," the M-NAV release said.

"In the last three quarters of this year, we recorded lower costs than planned in the total amount of 1.5 million euros, and this will continue in the fourth quarter. With that, we created financial prerequisites for increasing salaries for employees up to 10 percent for the last quarter as well as five percent as of next year in line with the agreement signed with the representative unions.

"This negative and bad tendency, which is the union leader Aleksandar Tasevski's personal initiative for his own interests, is an indicator of his own personal interests only and his own benefit, while other employees have not been consulted regarding his statements and actions, and whose interests he abuses to inflict damage on M-NAV."

Previously, the air traffic controllers union leader Tasevski said the strike on Oct. 12 would shut down both Skopje and the Ohrid airports for air traffic from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

He told MIA that the union is requesting "the directors stop their unprofessional behavior in terms of hiring processes and internal job reassigning."

The unionized air traffic controllers are also striking for better working conditions and modern equipment, Tasevski said.

"[The management] should stop the chaotic behavior and start behaving professionally," he said, "so our air traffic control can claim its place both amid the Balkan air traffic controls and European ones. They are hiring more people for jobs that are already overfilled, they release job announcements that last three days, and the people they hire for those positions cannot meet the needs of the work process, which is then used as an excuse to hire even more people," the union leader said. mr/