SAS Strike Possible This Weekend as Talks Continue

SAS faces a potential strike on Saturday morning as negotiations between unions and employer representatives continue. Fellesforbundet and Parat are meeting with NHO Luftfart at the National Mediator's office, with talks extending into the evening.

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We hope the company will meet us on what is important for us, and with pay. There must be clear movement for us to agree to anything new.

Parat plans to strike with 175 cabin employees, while Fellesforbundet will involve 468 members if no agreement is reached. Certain flights, including Medevac and those to and from Longyearbyen, are exempt.

The core issue appears to be wages, with Parat stating that SAS cabin crew earn 20% less than their counterparts at Norwegian. "We hope the company will meet us on what is important for us, and with pay. There must be clear movement for us to agree to anything new," said Parat's negotiation leader Martinus Røkkum.

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The goal for us and the trade union is that we reach an agreement. Fortunately, most mediations end in agreement and not strike.

Both sides express a desire for an agreement. NHO Luftfart's chief Erik Lahnstein noted that most mediations end in agreement. SAS spokesperson Øystein Schmidt emphasized dialogue and expressed hope for a resolution that avoids disrupting travelers. The negotiations follow a rejection of a previously agreed-upon tariff by union members.

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We have focus on dialogue. We want and believe that we can reach a good solution for both parties, so that we avoid consequences for travelers.