USCA demands the immediate release of the three Albanian ATCOs held in custody

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USCA and the whole Spanish ATCO community follow the shocking developments in Albania with enormous worry and pleads the EU to take immediate action to ensure human rights and the safety of air travel in a candidate country to join the union.

Due to the sharp decrease in air travel produced by Covid-19 restrictions, AlbControl, the Albanian Air Navigation Services Provider, decided on a unilateral salary cut of up to 70% for all ATCOs, also refusing to engage in any social dialogue with the workers’ representatives to find a negotiated agreement out of the biggest crises that the air navigation industry has suffered in history.

The emotional distress produced on our Albanian colleagues by these decisions taken by Albcontrol led them to declare themselves unfit to fulfill their duties with the level of concentration that such a safety critical position demands, following the Albanian regulation on competency schemes. The reaction by AlbControl and the Albanian government has been to dismiss and jail several ATCOs including the Union leaders, with utter disregard for the rights of the workers and  the safety of the air navigation industry. USCA condemns the actions taken by Albcontrol and the Albanian government and requests that all our Albanian colleagues are promptly released and reinstated into their positions.

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