Pilots have shown us the way

THE EDITOR: For years the PNM Government has forged policies that prevented essential personnel like pilots from industrial action. While other services, like the police and fire, caved into these draconian laws by accepting a meagre four per cent during negotiations, shouldn’t the Government have their backs when negotiating wages and other perquisites?

Are pilots considered essential personnel when other airlines (albeit foreign) can quickly fill the void? Police, firefighters and government workers can be regarded as critical, but not CAL pilots, when there are many other options.

This time, the Government has gone too far. Most locals choose CAL because of their pride in flying our airline. But in the future how many would trust CAL when there are more options?

Even though laws prevent arbitrary pilot strikes in the US and the UK, they can still go on strike after arbitration, followed by a 30-day cooling-off period if mediation proves futile. However, we are hardly comparable to these mega nations where billions of dollars are lost in commerce if they go on strike.

“Pilot strikes are historically rare. The last one occurred in 2010 at Spirit Airlines. Agencies like the National Mediation Board take pains to prevent work stoppages from disrupting the flow of interstate commerce via the airline and railway industries, with Congress also sometimes stepping in” – kiplinger.com

While idiotic laws are meant to be broken (remember the day of policing and the total blackout when no one was held accountable), most people would consider water, electricity and passable roads to be essential services. Based on that criterion, the Government has failed the people.

REX CHOOKOLINGO

rexchook@gmail.com