ST. JOHN’S, Antigua– The Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union (ABWU) has once again written to Cleveland Seaforth, the court-appointed administrator for the cash-strapped regional airline, LIAT (1974) limited, seeking a meeting on the future direction of the airline.
In the latest correspondence, ABWU General Secretary David Massiah says it is essential to have a dialogue between the parties that should be treated with greater importance. The union has given Seaforth until Thursday to respond positively to the letter.
The ABWU has already said among the issues to be discussed 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 a letter to Massiah, dated August 11, 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.”
In addition, Seaforth said that the “matter of the liquidation of LIAT (1974) Limited must be addressed by the Courts of Antigua and Barbuda and not a Liquidator, subsequently appointed”.
However, in the union’s latest correspondence, Massiah informs the court-appointed liquidator that “meaningful dialogue with your good self and whoever you choose to be with is still pertinent.”
Messiah noted that while Seaforth claims he is not privy to information already in the public domain, LIAT (1974) Limited is still under a court-appointed administrator and that lack of data should not be an excuse to evade consultations with the union.
The ABWU maintains 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.
“Furthermore…it is imperative that the unions are kept fully abreast with updates as far as the operations are concerned.”
Earlier this month, regional leaders met to discuss air transportation in the Caribbean amidst concerns that regional and international travelers find it very expensive and difficult to commute.
“It was agreed that we would retain a consultant to provide advice to the heads of the region as to how we can address the critical need to have, particularly air transportation resumed at a level that existed before COVID-19,” said the newly elected Grenada Prime Minister, Dickon Mitchell.
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. Johns 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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