Has Labour Paid for the Liberalisation of European civil aviation

Abstract Work and employment has been transformed by the competitive forces unleashed by liberalisation and the creation of a Single European Aviation Market (SEAM). The SEAM has led to benefits for passengers and for many local economies. However, the claim that liberalisation has also been good for labour is one that is contradicted by the deterioration of aircrews' terms and conditions of employment and the erosion of workers’ ability to defend contractual terms and professional standards.