Smartwings layoffs begin with 170 firings

The first wave of layoffs at Smartwings Group begins today, following a decision to shed roughly 15 percent of its 2,500 employees. A total of 50 pilots will join the growing ranks of the unemployed this week, as will 75 flight crew members and 45 people from administration. Petr Jezek, vice chairman of a union at Smartwings, confirmed that a total of 600 people will eventually be fired, even though a major portion of the workforce has already agreed to limit their working hours. He claims that layoffs are illegal and that the union (OOZS) will fight them. Smartwings denies the validity of OOZS's claims to represent its employees, saying the organization failed to meet the conditions to do so as set by the labor code.