By Balford Henry, Senior Reporter
THE CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) is still only a proposal but already it is triggering nervous reactions in local industrial relations.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Anthony Irons, confirmed yesterday the Ministry was trying to set up a meeting with Air Jamaica's local pilots, represented by the Jamaica Airline Pilots Association (JALPA).
The meeting is expected to inform the pilots there is no legal basis for their claim that under their agreement with the airline only Jamaicans can be promoted to certain senior positions with the airline.
JALPA had reported a dispute to the Ministry after the airline promoted a Barbadian pilot to a supervisory post more than a year ago. The association is claiming that under an agreement with Air Jamaica, foreign pilots can only be employed on contracts and, therefore, cannot be promoted over their local counterparts.
But, Mr. Irons said yesterday the legal advice obtained by the Ministry showed there was nothing to prevent the foreign or contracted pilot from being promoted above Jamaican pilots. He said the Ministry was trying for a meeting today with JALPA, but this was unlikely as JALPA's president, Maria Ziadie Haddad, is on assignment abroad.
There was no immediate threat of industrial action, but sources tell the Gleaner that JALPA might take the matter to court if there is no settlement of the issue at the Ministry.
JALPA's urgency in the matter is understood to be influenced by the current movement towards a CSME, which local pilots fear could cost them privileges.
Captain Haddad told The Gleaner earlier this year she felt there was a real threat to the Jamaican pilots working with the airline under the CSME, but she hoped the process would be objective and not put them at a disadvantage.
The legal framework for the CSME was agreed to by CARICOM Heads of Government attending their annual meeting in St. Vincent and the Grenadines earlier this month. Among the protocols already agreed to are for the free movement of labour, goods, services and capital within the region.
