Wage talks stalled - No agreement on air traffic controllers' salary dispute
published: Saturday | December 10, 2005

Andrea Downer, Gleaner Writer

OFFICIALS OF the Ministry of Labour and the Civil Aviation Authority failed to reach a wage agreement with air traffic controllers during a meeting at the ministry's office yesterday afternoon.

The parties are to meet again on Monday afternoon to continue discussions on two aspects of a wage package for the island's air traffic controllers.

According to Gerry McDaniel, public relations manager at the Ministry of Labour, yesterday's four-hour meeting yielded some results.

"The meeting will reconvene on Monday after Minister of Labour, Horace Dalley, and representatives from the Finance Ministry have looked at the proposals from both sides," Mr. McDaniel said.

Yesterday morning, president of the Air Traffic Controllers Association, Howard Greaves, said he could not guarantee that the air traffic controllers would remain on the job after December 15, if the outstanding issues were not resolved. This had aroused fears that operations at both international airports would be disrupted on the weekend, based on the outcome of yesterday's meeting.

The Air Traffic Controllers Association has been pressing the government for a 60 per cent wage increase over two years. The increase would bring the salaries of the 70 air traffic controllers in line with that of flight safety inspectors.

However, the Government has been resisting, claiming that it is unable to grant an increase, given the existing Public Sector Memorandum of Understanding. The two issues that are outstanding are a health plan and a loan scheme for the air traffic controllers.

CANNOT HOLD STRAIN

Hours before yesterday's meeting, Mr. Greaves said, "The members are restive and we cannot reasonably ask people to hold strain much longer, we have been doing that since last year ..."

He said with the winter tourist season approaching, which will see an increase in air traffic in and out of the island, the air traffic controllers want the matter settled so they can focus on providing a safe and efficient service for the Christmas season.

The air traffic controllers last took industrial action in May, but were forced to resume working after the Government obtained an injunction from the Supreme Court barring such action.