Talks commence on proposed job cuts at Caribbean Airlines

The Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) and the management of  Caribbean Airlines have begun discussions regarding job cuts at the airline's Jamaican operations.

Last month, Trinidad & Tobago's Finance Minister, Colm Imbert,  said that CAL's Jamaican operations would be affected by major restructuring being carried out by the cash strapped entity.

Arising from that, President General of the BITU Kavan Gayle told Radio Jamaica News that the union met with the airline's management on Friday for initial talks, to "sensitise the union around the proposed plans, in terms of... fleet reduction and the number of persons that are are being proposed for reductions." 

He said the discussions are set to contine, and that he perceives "there is an appetite" on the part of the airline to listen to the union's recommendations regarding how to minimise job cuts.

Caribbean Airlines plans to cut 25 per cent of its workforce and downsize its fleet of  planes.

It has revealed that during the first quarter of this year it suffered a loss of  TT$172.7 million and a 75 per cent decline in revenue.

Pilots

Meanwhile, the Trinidad & Tobago Airline Pilots' Association has declared that it is prepared to save the jobs of pilots, even if this requires a further cut in salaries.

A letter sent to the association by Caribbean Airlines revealed that the company, as part of its restructuring exercise, aims to send home between 95 to 115 pilots out of the 252 currently employed.

The letter noted that the final number has not yet been determined but a reduction of the fleet would potentially lead to a smaller group of pilots.

A spokesman for the pilot's association told the Trinidad Guardian newspaper that it has requested financial information from the airline to assess whether retrenching workers is, in fact, necessary and to provide its own suggestions for cost-savings.

Asked whether pilots will consider taking a pay cut, he said that was done in the past and the group would be prepared to do whatever is necessary within reason to ensure that jobs are preserved.