Dozens of MartinAir pilots laid off

KLM subsidiary MartinAir is laying off 37 pilots. According to the company, the layoffs are inevitable because the pilots refused to agree to scaled down collective bargaining agreement and part-time work, ANP reports. MartinAir reduced its fleet size significantly last year, making 110 pilots redundant. In the meantime several pilots resigned or were transferred to other jobs, for example to sister-company Transavia. But for 37 pilots, no solution could be found. Over the past weeks the airline and pilot union VNV still tried to prevent the layoffs, but to do so the pilots would need to settle for less work and less pay. They refused.