Air industry trade union strikes in Moscow prohibited by court

MOSCOW, August 16 - RAPSI. The court prohibited a trade union at the state-owned ATM Corporation from holding strikes due to security issues, the Prosecutor General's Office reported on Thursday.

A trade union uniting radio-location, radio-navigation and communications workers has been established at the company uniting employees across the air traffic and airport industry, the prosecutor's office wrote in a press release.

Pursuant to the charter, the trade union has the right to hold meetings, rallies, street demonstrations and strikes to protect its members' social and labor rights and interests.

"However, pursuant to the Air and Labor Code, strikes and other other cessation work by civil aviation employees serving and managing air traffic are not permitted to protect the rights of citizens and to ensure the country's defense and its safety," the prosecutor's office stated.

As a strike could lead to the air traffic system's failure, the prosecutors office appealed to the Savyolovsky District Court, which agreed with its position and invalidated the trade unions right to hold such strikes. The court also obligated the trade union to align its charter and its provisions with Russian law.