Latam reported on 15 May that it decided to disassociate 1,400 workers belonging to subsidiaries in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru as a result of the serious consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. And not just that. A wave of criticism came about the airline after it reported that the company’s shareholders’ meeting decided to split a $57 million dividend to its shareholders. All this in the midst of the turbulence that the company has drawn because of the coronavirus, which is why, in addition, it is requesting state aid today.
There is no doubt that Latam does not go through its best, however, the families and officials affected ask the company to reconsider the dismissals.
“We want to address the managers and managers of Latam, begging that this decision was reassessed, even more so in these difficult times of pandemic, economic problems and unemployment,” the workers note through a letter addressed to Roberto Alvo, Latam’s current EXECUTIVE Director.
In the misiva, workers and their families argue that they are no stranger to the “complex moment” that crosses the aeronautical sector, but, humbly, they think that the most important thing for the company is to be able to safeguard jobs at this difficult time, “something that compromised by applying the 50% cut of our wages,” they say.
“We are families, we have children, and we must continue to pay for studies, health, that we have debts, like the vast majority of Chilean families, and this situation of being out of work, in the midst of the pandemic, with unemployment rising, leaves us in total uncertainty, unable to be calm or know what to tell our children,” they add.
Workers ask the company to put itself in place and ask to evaluate alternatives to address the economic crisis that has been facing COVID-19.
“On April 30, we saw in the news that the shareholders of our company Latam split $57 million, but we don’t understand how, for us and our families, a portion of those resources can’t be allocated,” they said.
“With less than US$ 1 million you could pay 3 months of wages for the 290 families that in Chile we ran out of our livelihood. We ask for no more, only to be able to continue working for the future of our families and that of all our companions,” they request in the letter.
The workers of Latam call for the reinstatement of all, “and that Don Roberto Alvo and management can reconsider the decisions that are being made. We wholeheartedly hope that this decision can be reversed and we will return to our jobs.”
It should be noted that after communicating the decision, Alvo argued that “unfortunately we came to the conclusion that we have no other option than to start shrinking the group. That means, among other things, letting go of some of the people who work with us.”
