FAQ

A union seems a bit archaic. Did you consider other ways to get a seat during CLA negotiations?

We could not agree more! A new union is no goal by itself. However, we discovered during the discussions with KLM that unions are currently the only official way to have real influence. If you cannot beat them, join them.

How many members do you expect?

There are ~3000 KLM employees <40yo that work with the "Ground CLA". Of course we expect that every one of them becomes a member 😉 However, we think that progressive and modern colleagues in any age group could share our values and join this initiative!

What was the trigger to start this initiative now?

Current CLA negotiations will determine the future of KLM and its employees. As a younger generation, we did not feel represented among the current unions who now have a seat at the table. We fear that the talent pool of KLM drains if we are not able to let our voice heard.

I fully support your initiative, what can I do to make this happen?

Become a supporter, donate and share our message through social media / with other colleagues. We need volume and we need it fast!

Become a supporter

Can I become a member when I'm over 40 years old?

Yes, of course you can! We believe our values are broadly shared among the entire KLM population independent of age.

Why did you start this initiative?

As a younger generation of KLM employees, we want to have influence on our labor agreements.

What makes UnifiedKLM different from the existing unions?

We represent values that resonate with the voice of the younger generation of KLM employees including:

Sustainability
Transparency
Modernization of CLA
Flexibility and ownership of work conditions
Inclusive way of working
Positive/in harmony with KLM

We already have multiple unions, why is it important UnifiedKLM gets a seat at the table?

While we appreciate the work the current unions do, they do not represent the younger generation of KLM. The current member population of all unions is predominantly 50 years or up. We have done a survey among 176 employees under 40, which confirms this assumption. Only 9% of the ground respondents feels represented by the current unions.

Why is it important to support this initiative sooner today than tomorrow?

We want to make an impact and we want to do it now. In just a few weeks, the discussions on the implementation of the government loan conditions will start and we find it very important that our values are accounted for.

What happens if UnifiedKLM gets enough supporters to form an recognized union?

We have to formalize to an actual union, and ask our supporters to become an official member.

How many supporters do you need to get a seat during CLA negotiations?

Officially, there is no specific threshold. However, we have been informed that we need around 450 members.

What should I do when I do not feel represented by UnifiedKLM at all?

We encourage you to support the union you feel that represents your values the most. Please check out the other ground union's websites: