BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Industrial Court in Antigua and Barbuda has barred LIAT pilots from taking industrial action against the airline.
The request was filed by LIAT officials against Rudolph Lowe, Henry Drakes, Eulton Henry and other pilots representing the Leeward Islands Airlines Pilots Association (LIALPA).
Caribbean Net News reports that the Order “restrains pilots from taking any industrial action or continuing any further industrial action whether by means of strike, go slow, sick out, or any other related action against LIAT” until their current negotiations with the company are completed or until the Court issues a further order.
The move comes after pilots in Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and St. Vincent staged a sickout on Thursday (May 21). The action resulted in cancellations and delays in flights to Barbados, St. Lucia, Martinique, Antigua, Grenada, St Vincent, San Juan and Curacao.
A statement issued by LIALPA Chairman Michael Blackburn said the sickout came over employee frustration at a delay in contract negotiations. According to Blackburn, the company had agreed to settle the issue by March 31; however, the deadline had come and gone without any action from LIAT.
Speaking to the Antigua Sun, LIAT Corporate Communications Manager Desmond Brown called the sickout “a surprise”.
“LIAT has been in negotiations with the 10 unions representing the workers at the company, including LIALPA which represents the pilots, and as far as I know those negotiations have been progressing steadily. In fact, talks were held up to last week,” said Brown.
