TTALPA gives CAL more time to settle negotiations

THE Trinidad and Tobago Airline Pilots Association (TTALPA) has extended its deadline for Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL) to settle outstanding negotiations before the union takes the matter to the Industrial Court.

TTALPA industrial relations consultant Timothy Bailey told Newsday the matter was before the Ministry of Labour and the initial deadline was March 7. However, the union accepted the ministry's request and extended the deadline to March 31, informing CAL via letter that day.

"We hope that good sense would prevail and the negotiations would be settled."

He said the company's lawyers reached out to him on March 10 to set up a meeting between the parties.

In October, Minister of Finance Colm Imbert announced he would agree to a four per cent increase for the pilots for the 2015 to 2020 period and another four per cent for the 2020 to 2023 period.

Bailey said the union agreed to the four per cent increase for the first period during a meeting with CAL in December and proposed four per cent for the second negotiating period, in conformity with the Minister of Finance's approved figure.

"Since the eleventh of December, the company would have known the union has accepted the four per cent given by the minister and is not attempting to change anything in the collective agreement. Hence the reason we are confused at this point as to what is really the delay as it relates to the board making a decision to settle these negotiations.

"You just settled a negotiation in December and we saying the same exact terms, we willing to accept it for the four per cent. What is the issue?"

Bailey said that even though the 2015 to 2020 negotiations were settled, all pilots had not been paid the increased salaries.

"The pilots are just in the air, they're suspended, they don't know what's going on."

A February 28, a statement from CAL said the airline had paid out $14 million to pilots based on the agreed-upon four per cent increase for the 2015 to 2020 period.

"This is in addition to the 14.5 per cent average cumulative increase to salaries that pilots already received during that period."

That statement was sent to Newsday by CAL corporate communications manager Dionne Ligoure when contacted for comment.

TTALPA chairman Jason Wickham said the outstanding negotiations were creating a dangerous environment for pilots as it had left them very demoralised.

"You have a large amount of your pilots who are actively preparing their resumes and their qualifications for migration purposes. You have pilots avoiding promotions because one of the policies in the company dealing with the 'last-in-first-out' arrangement has not been finalised, so basically you can promote yourself into retrenchment which is against the industry norm.

"It's a situation where the morale is at an all-time low, and you need pilots to be focused on their job at hand.

"This is an industry with zero room for mistakes as you can see with all the incidents taking place around the world. So why is Caribbean Airlines, whose main focus is safety, why are they allowing a situation like this to fester where their pilots are not 100 per cent focused because of what is taking place?"

The CAL statement said TTALPA's proposal for the 2020 to 2023 period was being reviewed.

"Caribbean Airlines has proposed dates for discussions to take place and is keen to reach agreement at the earliest opportunity. The company upholds its commitment to working collaboratively with TTALPA in this and in all regards."

Over 30 pilots picketed the Piarco International Airport on October 3 over the stalled negotiations. This demonstration did not result in any flight disruptions, unlike a three-day "sick out" in August 2023 which led to thousands of passengers being stranded and an estimated $15 million in losses to the airline. This action was allegedly in response to a proposal to cut pilots' flying hours leading to lower wages. CAL got an injunction to stop the action but TTALPA said it was not aware of any co-ordinated absence.