Intensive Talks Between KLM and Trade Unions About Reorganization

KLM is in serious talks with the unions about the cutbacks that the airline wants to implement.

The company must come up with a recovery plan before October 1st, in which KLM must structurally reduce costs by 15 percent. As a result, between 4,500 and 5,000 of the 33,000, jobs will disappear.

“We are in the middle of very intensive discussions,” says KLM CEO Pieter Elbers. “We intend to have it completed on October 1st.” Elbers calls that date a “hard deadline”.

KLM aims to save 20 percent on labour costs. “One of the key conditions is a wage offering from the staff,” says Elbers.

Two thousand employees have so far resigned voluntarily. According to Elbers, shareholders must also make “a sacrifice”.

Cabin trade union VNC, the largest trade union at KLM, announced earlier this week that it doubts the feasibility of the deadline. According to the union, barely progress has been made in the negotiations on a social plan held on Monday.

KLM has received 3.4 billion euros in aid from the Dutch government to get through the corona crisis. One of the conditions for the support is that KLM will come up with a recovery plan.