Ryanair handling: now the cooperative society makes a counterattack

“On 1^st December we have to be ready for Ryanair flights; we’re sorry that the trade unions didn’t want to have a confrontation.” Alpina, the cooperative society that within a few weeks will be operative at Malpensa Airport in the handling sector, makes a counterattack: after the mobilisation of trade unions and workers (with leaflets, stances on the issue and even a demonstration at the airport), now Filippo Cutrona takes the floor.

He is the leader of Alpina, the cooperative that will join the handling sector (on subcontract) and that is also member of Airport Global Service, the company that owns the contract for Ryanair’s low cost carrier.

“We don’t understand the reasons given by the trade union regarding our entry into Malpensa, “ Catrona says. “Why shouldn’t I enter? Is it  because I’m from Bergamo? Is it because the members are from Bergamo, as it’s written in the trade-union document? A cooperative, as a company form, is forbidden, isn’t it? Once we have contacts and certifications, from Iso9000 to ENAC, they can’t cut us off.”

Cutrona talks nonstop considering the trade union position in the past weeks; this mobilisation, according to him, “is a way to do terrorism, like putting our names, addresses or those of our relatives on the leaflets.”

He refers to the analysis of the social structure and of the managers’ names that were carried out by some brand names, especially by Club Trasporti.

Cutrona’s answer is very firm and in fact he accuses the trade unions of favouring false cooperative societies: “In this way, do they want to defend those companies that have done what they’ve done? At this point, I think they do.”

Also Confcooperative Insubria, the professional association that has worked as mediator in the past month, supports Cutrona. “This mobilisation, besides ruining the image of the cooperative, could also put a stop to the development of the airport,” says Mauro Frangi, president of Confcooperative, reminding that the first 4 Ryanair routes are the first step for a future, bigger investment on Malpensa airport. Frangi does not hide the gap dividing the cooperative and the trade unions. “We were open to a discussion on the possible difficulties, but the union didn’t show up, letting us know they didn’t want to sit down with us. This is a heavy decision in our opinion, because it discriminates a business starting from its legal status. It is really serious because our business has its papers all in order regarding contact details and safety certifications.” According to Frangi, it is just an “ideological stance”  towards the fact that in other aeroport realities (Alpina serves five other airports) “we can have normal union relationships.”

Considering the matter of the situation, Cutrona, as the president of Alpina, partner of AGS, explains that “it will provide 45 more people with employment in a territory where there has been a significant drop in jobs.” The total number is the sum of the workers for Alpina and those for AGS, abiding by the restrictions on the maximum subcontracted quota. According to the heads of Alpina, 60% of the workforce is working full time and the remaining 40% part time (with Assohandler contracts), and most of it has previous experience in Malpensa. Answering to the protests of the union, Cutrona guarantees that “they will be employees, not partners.” Their salary? “From 1,300-1,400 euros to over 2,000 for some roles.”