Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

WILLIAMS

WESTERN BUREAU:

After dropping a bombshell on its staff in Miami on Monday, Air Jamaica executives are to meet with local managers and supervisors in Kingston today The Gleaner has learnt.

Over 25 permanent staff in Miami, including customer service agents, managers and supervisors, some with 30 years of service were told by the airline on Monday that their status would become part-time and their salaries would be cut by 60 per cent, effective the first week of March.

The airline is also offloading its Newark, New Jersey, route as of March 8.

"When we asked why this sudden move, we were told that they are cutting back to save the company," a shocked staff member at the Miami International Airport told The Gleaner.

He said he and his colleagues were treated with total disregard and the consequence would see persons who were earning US$700 per fortnight, now taking home a paltry US$378 every two weeks.

Reduced hours

Yesterday Shirley Williams, the airline's chairman, said the cut in pay was directly related to the reduction in the number of hours staff members work as a result of the shift to part-time employment. She said that, instead of eight hours per day, they will now work four hours per day.

"What we looked at was restructuring in terms of each post and the demand of the post," Williams told The Gleaner.

She said the airline was losing in excess of US$100 million (J$7 billion) per year and there was no money in the budget to cover this loss.

In response to the latest development, the National Workers Union (NWU), which represents the workers locally, expressed concern with the treatment being meted out to the overseas employees.

Granville Valentine, National Workers Union vice-president, said yesterday that while he has no jurisdiction over the North America-based employees, what is currently taking place did not appear to be consistent with the bargaining rights agreement as to how the company proceeds in the restructuring and redundancy exercise.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com