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  • 1 year ago
Several Caribbean Airlines pilots protested at Piarco International Airport on Thursday morning.


The industrial action was taken because of their dissatisfaction over wage negotiations.


CAL states that operations at the airline remained unaffected.


Alicia Boucher has the details.
Transcript
00:00Peaceful picketing, that's how the TNT Airline Pilots Association describes the action taken
00:08by their members who were off duty in an expression of frustration over wages.
00:13Vice Chairman of TALPA Jason Wickham says negotiations with SCAL have been taking place
00:19over the past nine years.
00:20Our international counterparts are receiving salary increases in the WGs and in the spirit
00:21of good faith and our commitment to the people of the world.
00:22That request was submitted on July 11th of this year, but according to TALPA, there is
00:46also the issue of protracted negotiations for the collective bargaining period 2015
00:51to 2020.
00:52Furthermore, the association says its pilots are still operating under the collective labour
00:58agreement 2010 to 2015, which expired nine years ago.
01:22While TALPA can't say what the next course of action will be at this time, its chairman
01:26Larry Emamishah is hoping for correspondence concerning the proposal.
01:46And according to TALPA, hence the proposal for only 4%.
01:50Well, in a statement responding to the protest action, CAL says it was unexpected and disappointing.
01:57CAL further states that despite the protest, all flights and operations continued as scheduled
02:03and it is giving an assurance to the public that their travel plans will not be interrupted.
02:09According to the airline, it has been engaging with the pilots union and discussions have
02:14been cordial and productive.
02:16CAL states, quote, in fact, agreements have already been reached on several key matters
02:22and the pilots have received their annual increment of up to 3%, end quote.
02:28But TALPA accuses CAL of trying to deflect, saying that increment applies to the performance
02:34of individual employees and ranges from 1% to 3%.
02:38The association believes that the airline has failed to address the issues raised by
02:42the pilots concerning their wage negotiations and collective labor agreement.
02:48In the meantime, TALPA states that the pilots have made a lot of sacrifices, like salary
02:53cuts of up to 57% in some cases, in order to help sustain the airline.
02:59But it says CAL followed this up with, quote, the unjustified termination of pilots contrary
03:06to industry practice, end quote.
03:08Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
03:12For more UN videos visit www.un.org
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