LIAT’s ex-pilots make fresh severance bid

Former pilots of regional airline LIAT have renewed their calls for severance payments and other outstanding money’s due to them to be paid.

Saying that nine months had passed since hundreds of workers had been laid off by the airline which has gone into administration, president of the Leeward Islands Airline Association (LIALPA), Patterson Thompson, said he believes it is high time his members receive whatever money they are owed.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, Thompson said members were struggling financially.

His comments have come three weeks after he told Barbados TODAY he was waiting on court proceedings to be completed before speaking on the issue.

The airline’s court-approved administrator is overseeing the restructuring of the Antigua-based company.

LIAT resumed flights at the end of November.

The statement said: “It has been nine months since 500 odd workers of LIAT (1974) Ltd were temporarily laid off on April 1 as a COVID-19 precautionary measure. And for 78 members of LIALPA, this temporary termination was not in keeping with the provisions of the Collective Agreement between the company and the Association, and we instituted legal action following the subsequent wrongful extension for which action remains pending.

“Subsequent extensions of the lay off period were effected in contravention of the provisions of the Antigua & Barbuda Labour Code, which specified the alternative time periods for temporary terminations. Our termination was made final on October 22nd, 2020.

“From April to present day, those terminated members have not received any monies from the company and while we appreciate the efforts of the Antigua & Barbuda Government with the amendment to the Company’s Act to save the airline, we feel it is important to highlight our issues given the company’s obligations with respect to severance payments, which by law take precedence over any other company debts.”

Patterson contended that since the administrator’s report was laid down in court there had been no further communication of the status of the administrator, the Antigua and Barbuda government’s negotiations with potential investors or the issue of debt forgiveness by creditors.

He said: “It would appear that all focus has been placed on the limited operational schedule of the airline. Members of the LIALPA are facing dire financial consequences which are impacting on our ability to survive daily.

“We remain hopeful that these negotiations and further efforts to reduce liabilities are completed as soon as possible, but we consider it only fair that we are kept abreast of developments, and more importantly, the plans for payment of severance and other financial entitlements to our members.”

LIAT, which owes creditors in excess of EC$100 million (US$37 million), has declared that due to its dire finances it will be unable to pay all the money owed its employees.
(randybennett@barbadostoday.bb)