OVER 30 Caribbean Airlines pilots, represented by the Trinidad and Tobago Airline Pilots Association (TTALPA), staged a peaceful placard protest at the Piarco International Airport on the morning of October 3 over several issues, including overdue wage negotiations.
Speaking to the media, TTALPA vice chairman Jason Wickham said the pilots were there to express their displeasure that their collective agreement had expired nine years ago. He said all pilots present were off-duty, so no flights were affected.
“We are here today imploring the government and the line minister to please step in and approve the four per cent salary proposal that was given to CAL since July of this year.
"For the last nine years, TTALPA has been negotiating in good faith with the management of CAL and today, the pilots came out to express their dissatisfaction and displeasure with what is happening.
“Our international counterparts are receiving salary increases in the double digits, and in the spirit of good faith and our commitment to the people of TT, and to CAL, we have requested a four per cent salary increase which is in line with the government's mandate as sent to the CPO (Chief Personnel Officer) which other trade unions have benefited from.”
[caption id="attachment_1112444" align="alignnone" width="1024"] TT Airline Pilots Association chairman Capt Larry Imamshah, right, speaking with reporters during the protest. - Photo by Roger Jacob[/caption]
In a release later in the day, the union said the picket was in response to the ongoing frustrations stemming from CAL's lack of engagement regarding the pilot's salary proposal submitted on July 11, and the protracted negotiations surrounding the 2015-2020 collective agreement.
The pilots walked in front of and through the terminal holding large placards with such lines as: No Job Security, 20% Salary Cut Offered to Pilots, CAL Pilots Delivered During Difficult Times, Non-Nationals Paid More, and Nine Years with An Expired Contract.
In a release sent out after the pilots’ action, CAL said it was disappointed by the unexpected and disappointing action by the pilots.
It said agreements had been reached on several key matters and the pilots had received their annual increment of up to three per cent. The airline confirmed all flights and operations continued as scheduled.
In another release, which followed CAL's, TTALPA said despite the attempt by CAL via its media release to deflect, referencing its performance-related increment, which applies to an employee's individual performance (minimum one per cent-maximum three per cent), CAL had failed once again to address pilots’ concerns about the expired agreement and overall increases for the bargaining period.
“The airline had previously stated that it is awaiting instructions from the Minister of Finance, which leaves pilots questioning the reasonableness of the prolonged wait of approximately nine years without any finality of the collective agreement,” the release said.
The Finance Ministry and CPO Darryl Dindi
