FPU Romania is calling it an important step for Eastern European aviation after Wizz Air backed down in a dispute over forced psychological testing of a cabin crew member who held valid medical and psychological certificates.
An important step for Eastern European aviation.
That’s how Mircea Constantin, General Secretary of FPU Romania, describes a recent win over Wizz Air.
The case started when a cabin crew and FPU Romania member was forced to undergo psychological tests, despite holding valid medical and psychological certificates from authorized institutions.
“The way Wizz Air forced the psychological test on our member undermines workers’ rights and is a clear act of intimidation,” Mircea Constantin says. FPU Romania believes the company held a grudge against the cabin crew employee because she had reported safety issues regarding toxic fumes on Wizz Air airplanes.
FPU Romania
In 2020, FPU founded its Romanian sister organization, FPU Romania. Aviation is an international industry, and pay and working conditions are linked across borders. That is why FPU’s fight for fair conditions does not stop at Denmark’s borders.
FPU Romania organizes pilots and cabin crew at Ryanair, Wizz Air and other airline companies based in Romania.
FPU Romania, together with the European cabin union ETF, sent letters of concern to the Romanian Government and Parliament over the practice of forced employer-controlled psychological assessments carried out by Wizz Air.
Now, in a letter sent to the cabin crew employee, Wizz Air is calling off the psychological assessment.
FPU Romania: “We fight for our members’ rights”
For Mircea Constantin the support from ETF shows that international support and solidarity is important in aviation.
“These kinds of employer-controlled assessments cannot become common practice, and we’re happy that we put a stop to them. We appreciate the support from ETF in this important matter. We fight for our members’ rights, and it’s vital for Eastern European aviation that we fight unfair treatment of employees.”
He further adds:
“When FPU Romania is presented with a case where an airline tries to intimidate an employee, we act. And this is a very important victory. Both for the individual in question and Eastern European aviation as a whole.”
FPU Romania will continue to monitor the situation.
