Pilot sickout grounds LIAT

Ppeople travelling through the Caribbean are facing major problems Wednesday as a sickout by pilots has grounded most flights by the regional commuter Airline, LIAT.

The Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA) made good on a threaten to "withdraw their enthusiasm" if management of the Antigua-based airline did not retract and apologise for statements made in press release, by midnight Tuesday.

On Wednesday morning as pilots did not report for duty the airline issues ad advisory explaining the problem.

"LIAT wishes to advise that there has been a disruption in its service as pilots throughout the network called in sick this morning. This action has resulted in the cancellation of LIAT flights so far today,” it said.

It said affected passengers would not have to pay additional fees to rebook their flights. It also offered credit for future travel on LIAT for those who have to abandon their travel due to the disruption.

The pilots and management have been at loggerheads over a demand by the pilots for shareholders and management to address several critical outstanding matters.

On Monday LIAT subsequently issued a media release expressing disappointment at LIALPA’s pronouncements and stated that last July "all disputed issues between LIAT and LIALPA, including that of retroactive pay, were discussed at a meeting of the Company’s three shareholder Prime Ministers held in St Vincent."

It said the dispute between the two sides were referred to arbitration. But LIALPA disputed that, saying retroactive pay was never included and the LIAT statement was therefore false.

The pilots union also challenged LIAT’s management at a meeting on Tuesday to produce the evidence that such agreement was reached but management was unable to do so.

LIATPA dismissed a suggestion by LIAT that "initiating unwarranted industrial actions" is irresponsible stating that the dispute with LIAT pilots has been ongoing for some 12 years.

"The pilots are reminding the general public that they have showed restraint for far too long, especially in light of LIAT Management’s clear unwillingness to settle outstanding disputes amicably,” LIALPA said.

LIALPA wants LIAT to pay all monies that are owed due to illegal deductions made from salaries, settle all retroactive public holiday payments, address concerns about the status of current pension deductions and sign off on a new contract immediately following the arbitration judgment.

“Anything less is unacceptable,” the pilots said.