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  • 1 year ago
Mere days after pilots embarked on protest action at Piarco International Airport, the Trinidad and Tobago Air Traffic Controllers' Association hosted the 40th IFATCA Americas Regional Meeting, which sees Associations from around the region come together to protect and safeguard the interests of air traffic controllers. Rynessa Cutting has more.
Transcript
00:00According to TTADCA, air traffic controllers face issues such as staff shortages and a
00:06lack of representation, as workers are still fighting for the right to a recognized majority
00:12union.
00:13Trinidad and Tobago Air Traffic Control is responsible for three-quarter million square
00:18miles of airspace, spanning as far as above the Eastern Caribbean and halfway across the
00:22Atlantic Ocean.
00:23But of just about 100 air traffic controllers, the Trinidad and Tobago Air Traffic Control
00:29Association admits staffing is a concern.
00:34One of the challenges that we have, it's a challenge that faces the global fraternity,
00:37it's staffing shortages and we, our Civil Aviation Authority has undertaken an extensive
00:44training drive because training is the only way to solve the staffing issue.
00:52So we have undertaken a huge training drive, I'm also an air traffic instructor and we
00:57anticipate by 2026 our staffing should be at adequate numbers.
01:01I'd say roughly we're about 65% of the controllers that we need to have in all our facilities,
01:07however even though that we are below the requirements, our operations do not suffer.
01:12Air traffic controllers also face other labor-related issues, such as wage negotiations, particularly
01:18in light of the fact that they currently do not have the benefit of collective bargaining.
01:23Our union is the Public Services Association, however that matter is in court, there's an
01:29issue with recognition that is presently at the Privy Council, we are waiting indeed for
01:33hearing for that matter.
01:35As essential workers, air traffic controllers are prohibited from certain industrial actions.
01:41But with Carbon Airlines pilots having recently staged protest action, calling on the government
01:47to settle outstanding wages and increments, TV6 News asked whether similar action could
01:52be expected from the air traffic control staff.
01:54So what could we anticipate for air traffic controllers?
01:58Seamless service, safe skies.
02:01The situation is one which President of the Public Services Association, Leroy Batiste,
02:05likens to the pending establishment of the Revenue Authority and the migration of workers.
02:11Much like how we have Board of Inland Revenue or the custom workers being public officers
02:17now and they are now looking to put them across in the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue
02:21Authority.
02:23In the same vein, you had these workers who were under public officers, at some point
02:30in time, I can't give you the specific year, they would have been transferred to a civil
02:40litigation authority under an act, a new act that would have been created.
02:48But in that act, the Public Services Association would have been deemed to be the recognized
02:52majority union.
02:57The management, after all these years, woke up some day and decided that the PSA ought
03:05not to be deemed the recognized majority union.
03:08The PSA further notes that after several years, air traffic controllers received a
03:12salary adjustment last year, but without the involvement of the union.
03:16The government did, because this matter is in court with us, they have unilaterally given
03:25them some kind of adjustment in salary.
03:30So the government simply gives them that.
03:32It's not an agreement between the PSA and the CPO, the PSA and Civil Aviation.
03:39These issues have come to the fore, as air traffic controller associations from around
03:44the region have come to Trinidad for the 40th International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers
03:50Association's Americas Regional Meeting.
03:53Over the course of three days, discussions will be held around protecting and safeguarding
03:58the interests of air traffic controllers and the profession.
04:02Renessa Cutting, TV6 News.
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