– I’m furious. And I would have been even more furious if someone had treated me the way the SAS leadership treats its employees in no. Kverneland worked as a flight attendant in SAS from 2014-2016. She explained that it was hard work, with up to 60 working hours a week. In a public post on Facebook, which has been shared over 2,000 times, she takes a hard line against both the SAS leadership and the media coverage of the strike – which she believes has been one-sided. – I’m tired of the angle the media has had, with a strong focus on the innocent third party. She thinks many have not understood what the strike in the airline is really about. – The core of the case is that the SAS management breaks an agreement. It must be much clearer. Now the whole focus is on everyone who loses their holiday, she says. I wonder if their employees 900 pilots went on strike on Monday last week. About 30,000 passengers are left stranded today. SAS and their pilots do not agree on pay. The core of the conflict is the creation of two staffing companies. Around 560 pilots lose their jobs during the pandemic. They want their job back, and says SAS is trying to circumvent its obligations to bring the dismissed pilots back. Staffing companies have different pay and working conditions, and are not bound by the original collective agreements the pilots had in their old positions. SAS rejects this. They believe the company takes into account all agreements entered into. – When the SAS lease does not follow up, it is a breach of contract, first and foremost. But it is also to deceive its employees, says Kverneland. SAS: – Does not share the reality picture news has presented the criticism from Kverneland for SAS. Press manager Tonje Sund writes the following in an e-mail: – We respect that there are different points of view and hear what she says, at the same time we do not share that picture of reality. She further writes that they have established a five-year reinstatement right for the pilots, and that in the ongoing conflict an impression is given that this is not the case. – We do our utmost to make this happen, but strikes and large losses now do not make it easier. Sund emphasizes that all SAS employees based in Scandinavia have Scandinavian agreements, with Scandinavian terms, entered into with Scandinavian trade unions. Felt like a random number in a row Kverneland thinks the distance between the SAS management and other employees in the airline is large. – When I worked at SAS, I felt like a random number in a row. A kind of robot that only had to perform its work tasks. There was no relationship between me, as a cabin crew, and the lease at all. – Traditionally, there has actually been a very large distance between charter and flying personnel in SAS. Completely different from Norwegian, says Espen Andersen, associate professor at BI. The aviation analyst explains that SAS follows a Swedish tradition – with a more distant management. – There are big differences within the business world. It is very professional in Sweden, but more down to earth in Norway, he says. Aviation analyst Espen Andersen says that SAS follows a Swedish tradition – with a more distant management than airlines such as Norwegian. Photo: Gunhild Hjermundrud / news – Touching to see the response Long working weeks and flights of up to 14 hours were a bit of the reason why Kverneland left SAS. She now works with recruitment within marketing and has more normal working weeks. Good colleagues still made her stay a little longer in the airline, she said. – I had extremely loyal and caring colleagues, who were really happy with their job. There are many who have contacted her after the post on Facebook. Also SAS employees who thank her for putting words to a difficult situation. – The SAS pilots have received massive support from all over Norway. I think it’s really touching to see, as a former employee, she concludes.
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Former SAS employee: – Felt like a robot
