BWIA: No move to fire workers

In making these allegations yesterday, the union reiterated its call for Government to intervene in the affairs of the airline. ACAWU president Curtis John said the union had information that the draft BWIA plan contained provisions to increase the scope of work for Servis Air at the airline.

John said he did not know what to believe since ACAWU did not have a copy of this plan. He reiterated his call to the airline to provide the union with a copy of the plan.

In an immediate response, BWIA officials said there was no truth to ACAWU’s claims. The officials said Servis Air employees supplemented BWIA traffic staff on Saturday at Piarco International Airport when some BWIA workers did not report for duty, but there were no plans to increase the scope of that company’s work, which is limited to ramp operations.

BWIA officials said all the airline’s personnel had reported for duty yesterday and all of yesterday’s flights left on time. John said he had no information about whether flights left on time or any BWIA workers stayed off the job. He reiterated that ACAWU has not given any directive to BWIA’s workers to take industrial action.

Commenting on Public Administration and Information Minister Dr Lenny Saith’s statement that Government would not intervene in BWIA’s affairs at this time, John said Government could not take a “hands off” position in this matter and he was optimistic that Government would eventually intervene. Saith is currently overseas on government business.

John said he received no word from BWIA management as to when they would resume talks with the union but ACAWU remained open to negotiating in good faith with the airline and helping to ensure BWIA becomes viable.