Liat pilots may go to work

Pilots employed by regional carrier LIAT appeared set to return to duty today, following a crippling two-day sickout which officials said affected more than 6 500 passengers and cost the carrier in excess of US$1 million. Senior officials told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) late yesterday that the assurance was given by representatives of the pilots’ union, LIALPA, during a meeting with top management in Antigua.LIALPA’s chairman Captain Michael Blackburn said certain minimum demands had been put forward.“If those minimum demands are met, that is, LIAT is going to pay the pilots what we are entitled to under law (then) the other areas are negotiable and I believe we will go back to the cockpit tomorrow (Friday) with enthusiasm. “If that is not the case, they may or may not go back to work with less enthusiasm and resentment. They are human beings,” he said.Blackburn said there were basic, fundamental issues of pay that must be addressed and accused LIAT management of showing flagrant disregard for the law.The pilots have been demanding that the company “pay all monies that are owed due to illegal deductions made from salaries; settle all retroactive public holiday payments; address concerns about the status of current pension deductions and sign-off on a new contract immediately following the arbitration judgment.”Earlier, the pilots had rejected a back to word call issued by the Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves on behalf of the three shareholder governments that include Antigua and Barbuda and Barbados. “Go back to the air and we will talk,” said Gonsalves, while expressing profound disappointment over the action taken by the pilots.He deemed the action to be both unnecessary and excessive, while accusing the pilots of holding the entire region to ransom.Gonsalves said the LIAT should be declared an essential service across the region. Blackburn immediately responded to Gonsalves, making it clear that the pilots would not be backing down from their demands. (CMC)