I have a long history of doing the wrong things. But I’ve always surrounded myself with the most incredible humans on the planet, and I truly believe that.
I don’t seek to communicate; I don’t seek to succeed. I go for the soul, for that one last try that will bring me what I truly desire: attitude! And usually, I get that right.
We all fail eventually, of course. And I’ve also had my share.
And I’m still not really used to seeing signs of good health in Romanian society. I’ve seen fear cultivated in its worst form, so bad that I knew I had to do something so that the next generations would never experience such a feeling.
We all have fears… Of course, I would hope our society grows through its worst fears and develops into the expectation I have of all of them. And here’s the most interesting part.
When you meet people like you, who connect with you, match your personality, and push you to continue, you realize you’re not alone.
I didn’t plan to build a trade union. But I think I’ve built a runway instead.
A pathway to the kind of civilization my mind had already seen, long before it happened. The Future of Romanian Aviation conference was my way of saying, It can be done.
I’ve sacrificed so much in the process that sometimes words feel too simple, too irrelevant. But I can never look away or ignore that this effort gave others hope, that someone, unexpected maybe, dared to take this challenge.
I’m a windsurfer at heart.
I’ve trained to take the biggest challenges because that’s where I find my silence. Do I regret it? Never.
I’ve never regretted taking the right fight for anyone.
So now that you’ve heard my real voice, let me tell you what happened with this conference.
We had this ambition of actually talking and discussing with employers what our members, pilots and cabin crew, experience in this 21st-century aviation industry. It’s not pretty, and it’s not impossible to deliver. Fair competition will only come when we are ready to deliver fair working conditions.
When I set my mind on figuring out what trade unionism is really about, I went to the best: Denmark, Scandinavia, and the FPU.
Ten years ago, I asked them to teach me what they were doing. They were probably very surprised by my email, but they accepted. If I hadn’t crossed paths with people like them, I wouldn’t be here writing this story.
If you’re curious to see what we’ve been working on here, I’m happy to share my dissertation, it gives a good glimpse into all the work and heart we’ve put into this project.
Read more Tackling Social Dumping in Eastern European Aviation. Lessons From Transnational Cooperation
And I can tell you it wasn’t easy for them to understand how we, Romanians, act. I’m so reactive and spontaneous that only one person could have stood by me for better and worse (and she knows who she is).
I love meeting those who are even crazier than I am.
And I let them lead me to the next levels of my own consciousness.
This isn’t just a unique project that somehow sorted itself out against all odds.
It’s a new vibe. Even though it’s been (and still is) turbulent and different, it sets a precedent that could become the benchmark of European cooperation.
I’ve learned and delivered something born from a different culture, something no one had ever brought to Romanian aviation before.
And the truth is, I had no target other than to get things done.
We don’t chase members. They come to us. Because they know we stick to the right fight.
I’m not the best at public speeches. I don’t like the spotlight.
I prefer doing things quietly and effectively.
I like others to take the stage when possible.
I like to build small, powerful, confident teams.
They all know I’ll jump first.
They all trust me.
And that will never change.
But eventually, I’ll hand this role over to the next generation because I love the challenge of letting go of my sail and just falling out of the air.
I’ve seen the worst fights.
And I’ve gathered the best team to make sure that never happens again here in Romania.
And I’m sure of one thing: We will become the voice of Eastern Europe.
And if that happens, it will be because people like us chose to sacrifice for something crazy.
This is the story of a bunch of people who saw a good fight and went for it.
The article below, though written in Romanian, comes from one of our standout speakers, and trust me, it’s worth running through Google Translate or ChatGPT.
Marius Popescu, president of the Romanian Airline Companies Association, is without doubt one of the most progressive and forward-thinking voices in today’s aviation politics and industry lobbying.
We stand together in supporting fair competition. We stand with the airlines that play by the same rules. And we are determined to bring Romanian aviation to where it truly belongs, among the very best in the EU.
Because our pilots, cabin crews, and airlines deserve nothing less than the same respect, the same protections, and the same working conditions as any company across Europe.
This is our mission, and we’re just getting started.
