Prague Airport unions declare strike readiness over appointment of new chief Radomír Lašák

Trade unions at Prague Airport declared strike readiness as of Tuesday, protesting the appointment of Radomír Lašák as the company's new head. The news was reported by Czech Television.

The unions object to Lašák's past leadership of the airline ČSA (České aerolinie), which, in their view, he drove into decline. "Our concerns relate primarily to the professional background of the chosen candidate, which is inseparably linked to the decline and subsequent liquidation of České aerolinie," the trade union organizations Letiště Praha and ČSA Handling said earlier.

A meeting between union representatives, Finance Minister Alena Schillerová (ANO) and Lašák himself was scheduled for 9:30 on Tuesday. "She is supposed to introduce him to us. We can't predict anything right now. We'll hear them out, and in the afternoon we'll discuss it at a joint meeting of the trade union organizations," Marek Sedlák, chairman of the 1st Basic Trade Union Organization of Prague Airport, told Novinky.

According to a letter published by the unions, the strike readiness will remain in effect from Tuesday until it is called off or replaced by another form of protest.

The unions say they have well-founded concerns about the future development of Prague Airport's operations, as well as the job security of its employees. The letter also states that the unions are troubled by the "unusual process behind the selection of Lašák's candidacy" in the recent tender.

"Our concerns are further fueled by a recent statement from a Finance Ministry representative, as well as by recently mentioned, though unspecified, plans referred to by the Prime Minister during interpellations in the Chamber of Deputies — he mentioned 'floating part of Prague Airport's shares on the stock exchange,'" the letter states.

The unions say they are additionally troubled by "the lack of any up-to-date and relevant information about likely — and apparently significant — changes to the structure, management and financing of Prague Airport's operations, including possible staff cuts."

Prague Airport spokeswoman Denisa Heitmanková confirmed to Novinky that strike readiness had been declared. "This situation has no impact on Prague Airport, which continues to operate as normal, and passengers need not worry about any restrictions. We will keep the public informed of further developments," she said.

The airport's current director, Jiří Pos, will step down at the end of August. Lašák headed the airline ČSA from 2006 to 2009, having previously worked for the energy company ČEZ. During his tenure, the airline failed to respond adequately to the rise of low-cost carriers and was forced to sell off assets as a cost-cutting measure. ČSA ceased to exist entirely in 2024.

Lašák was selected by the Finance Ministry, acting as the airport's sole shareholder, through a competitive selection process — at a time when Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) had raised the possibility of floating part of the company's shares on the stock exchange.

Source: novinky.cz