LATAM Airlines union to go on indefinite strike Tuesday

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - The Cabin Crew Union of LAN Express, a subsidiary of the Chile-based LATAM Airlines group, said it would start an indefinite strike on Tuesday after a final day of negotiations failed to produce a deal on a new labor contract.

The 1,000-strong union announced its plan to start an indefinite strike on Saturday but continued to take part in talks mediated by the government that ended on Monday.

“The company not only did not make any new proposal but was not willing to extend mediation to continue negotiations,” the union said in a statement late on Monday.

LATAM, Latin America’s largest air carrier, said in a statement that it has canceled 623 flights through April 16 and that the strike would initially affect 90,000 passengers.

The union said the strike will start at midnight (0300 GMT) on Tuesday.