theÚís Rodrigues took office as Chairman of the Board of Directors (PCA) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TAP on April 14. Already underway was the investigation commission of the airline, which was established after the controversial compensation of half a million euros paid to former official Alexandra Reis, which led to a cabinet reshuffle and the dismissal of the two former presidents of the airline, Ourmi Beja, Ourmi Beja for just cause.
The name of Luis Rodríguez had already been announced on March 6, by the Minister of Infrastructure, Joao Galamba, in the same press conference in which, together with the Minister of Finance, Fernando Medina, it was announced that his predecessors in office were vindicated.
Until then, Luis Rodriguez led the Azorean airline SATA which, like TAP, received government aid and underwent restructuring.
The airline industry, including trade unions, has welcomed the government’s selection to lead the national carrier.
On the day he returned to TAP, where he was already CEO between 2009 and 2014, Luis Rodriguez said he would look at the file for salary cuts, which were introduced as part of the restructuring and set 20% for salaries over €1,520.
At the end of June, after long months of negotiations, the Federation of Civil Aviation Pilots (SPAC) approved the new company agreement for the airline (AE), which cancels the salary cuts that were subject to it in the Temporary Emergency Agreements (ATE), signed in 2021, within the framework of the restructuring plan approved by Brussels.
This was the first victory for Luis Rodriguez, who inherited the hard work profile when he took charge of the company in a context of great social instability, after months of wrestling between the unions and the management of Christine Ormeyer-Widner, who could not avoid the crew’s strike in December, which had an impact of about eight million euros on the company.
Now it remains to finalize the agreement with the remaining representative structures of workers (there are 13 of them in total), who hope to finalize negotiations in the summer.
Also read: TAP. The opposition criticizes the whitewashing of government responsibilities
“Wannabe internet buff. Future teen idol. Hardcore zombie guru. Gamer. Avid creator. Entrepreneur. Bacon ninja.”