ST. JOHN’S, Antigua–The court-appointed administrator of the cash-strapped regional airline, LIAT (1974) Limited, Cleveland Seaforth, says while he has “no objection” to discussing matters of concern with the union representing the airline’s workers, it should nonetheless provide “an itemized list of topics” for the discussions.
The Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union (ABWU) has been seeking a meeting with Seaforth to discuss the future direction of the airline and has already said among the issues to be addressed will be the decision by the shareholder governments to liquidate the company that owes millions of dollars (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) to former employees who were dismissed last year.
But in an August 11 letter, Seaforth said, “discussions held by Heads of Government are separate and apart from the Court- Appointed Administration Process; hence the Administrator may not be fully aware of all the matters discussed at such meetings.”
However, in his latest correspondence to the ABWU, dated September 6, Seaforth opened the door a bit for possible talks, saying, “once we receive the proposed meeting topics, we will review and provide a finalized agenda and proposed dates for the meeting.”
Seaforth is also reminding the ABWU general secretary David Massiah “that the LIAT collective bargaining agreements with the unions were suspended by the court order granted on December 10, 2020, and all union heads were subsequently advised of the decision the supporting documentation provided”.
But he said notwithstanding that situation, he “has no objection to discussing matters of concern regarding the LIAT employees with the unions.”
In the past, the ABWU has maintained that regular consultations and dialogue with employees and their representatives are essential in light of all the outstanding issues relevant to the airline’s future.
LIAT is owned by the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, St Vincent, and the Grenadines (SVG). Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said previously that a decision had been taken that would allow Barbados and SVG to turn over their shares in LIAT to St. John’s for one EC dollar (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents).
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Browne appealed to Caribbean trade unions to re-think their positions regarding the latest offer to laid-off airline workers.
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