Labour Minister Stephen Mc Clashie is set to hold a conciliatory meeting with the management of Caribbean Airlines and the pilot body TTALPA next week, as negotiations continue over wages.
Government has taken a decision to intervene in the matter, after it was revealed that talks between both parties broke down, as it relates to the increases for the period 2015 to 2020.
The airline has proposed 0 per cent, 2.5 per cent, 2.5 per cent, 2.5 per cent and 0 per cent for the five year bargaining period, contending that its five per cent lumpsum for 2018 to 2019 took into consideration the company’s financial position and the increases that have already been applied.
TALPA however, is willing to do: 0 per cent, 3 per cent, 3 per cent, 3 per cent and 1 per cent.
The state-owned airline also wants to transition pilots across all fleets from a monthly salary system to an hourly system and reduce its work guarantee from 75 to 60 hours. Overtime, it said, would kick in only after 75 hours.
TTALPA, according to a GML report, said: “We expect that now that the real decision makers are at the table, next week’s meeting will be a meaningful one, and it is our fervent hope that the decision makers come to the table in good faith as we feel severely misled by the current team.”
It then noted to members that the union does not support any breach of Section 67 (2) of the Industrial Relations Act, which prevents essential workers such as pilots from participating in any industrial action, and reminded them of the ex-parte injunction that had been granted.
Mc Clashie is expected to review all the proposals made by the CAL negotiations team to TTALPA thus far
The meeting is planned for next Wednesday (August 30).