Portugal breaks TAP airline strike

Portugal's state-owned airline TAP said Friday it plans to honour all its scheduled flights after breaking a planned four-day strike over the company's privatisation. The government has invoked its power to force 70 percent of workers to report for duty despite their intention to down tools - known as a requisition - from Saturday to Tuesday. "All the flights are still scheduled. We hope they will happen normally because the unions announced they plan to respect the requisition," a TAP spokesman said.
Although nine of the airline's 12 unions reached deals with the government by Wednesday, three others - including flight attendants - announced they still plan to strike, but will comply with the minimum staffing order. Portugal's government decided last month to make another attempt at privatisation, putting 66 percent of the airline up for sale after a failed attempt to secure private capital in December 2012.