aviation as well as the discussions concerning the future of Schiphol Airport
(institutionalised in the Temporary Consultation Platform Schiphol, Tijdelijk Overleg
Platform Schiphol, TOPS). The LVNL has ties with EUROCONTROL, the European
association for air traffic controllers. The LVNL employs 976 people, of which about 250
'real' air traffic controllers (LVNL, interview). Based on these membership figures, with
around 80 percent the organisational density among air traffic controllers is very high.
Employees are organised in the Netherlands Guild of Air Traffic Controllers (Vereniging
het Nederlandse Luchtverkeersleidersgilde, abbreviation Het Gilde, The Guild). The
'Guild' has in its statutes the explicit aim to represent the interests of its members
including the conclusion of collective employment agreements. The Guild is a member of
the Dutch sector labour union CMHF, the federation for staff and white-collar employees
(Centrale voor Middelbare en Hogere Functionarissen bij overheid, onderwijs, bedrijven
en instellingen) and is a member of the Confederation Unie-MHP. Internationally, the
Guild is member of IFATCA, the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers
Association.
The second labour union representing air traffic controllers is the social-democratic
Abvakabo FNV. Abvakabo FNV represents employees in the public sector. Abvakabo
FNV is a member of the Confederation of Dutch Labour Unions FNV.
The third labour union, the Union of Staff at the Air Traffic Service (Vereniging van
Personeel bij de Luchtverkeersdienst, VPRL), is affiliated to the Union of Independent
Labour Organisations (Unie van Onafhankelijke Vakorganisaties (UOV) which is again
member of Unie MHP.
The Netherlands (Maastricht, Rotterdam and Eelde), as they attract a too small number of flights to be able to
finance the air traffic controllers on those airports. Without state subsidy, those airports might have to close down
as a privatised air traffic control would not be willing to loose money in providing those services (only half of the
costs of air traffic control are covered at regional airports). Even now, before the full privatisation, nearly half of
the jobs on regional airports are already at stake, as a consequence of cuts in budgets (Het Financieele Dagblad,
23-2-2000). The political discussion continues, as several parties fear a declining security as a consequence of the
independence of the service and the reduction of staff on air traffic control (Het Financieele Dagblad, 25-5-2000).
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