Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Days after being hit with a Federal Government lawsuit, the island's national carrier, Air Jamaica, has lost its long-standing battle with its flight attendants and will have to fork out approximately US$1 million (J$71 million) in retroactive payments to them.

Last Thursday, the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) said the attendants were entitled to receive retroactive payments for pre- and post-flight duties from as early as June 1, 2003.

"They are supposed to perform certain duties one hour and 15 minutes before departure and 30 minutes after flight arrivals, but this was never calculated in their earnings," Kavan Gayle, president of the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU), explained to The Gleaner.

Deadlock

The BITU represents the more than 360 flight attendants, including 100 who were made redundant in 2005.

Gayle said in October 2005, when the union expressed its concerns, both the airline's management and the union agreed that the payment would be effected, but both could not agree on the retroactivity.

After 15 sittings at the IDT, from February 2006 to December 19, 2007, the tribunal based its decision on its findings that the flight attendants should be paid from June 1, 2003 up to October 2007.

'Un-airworthy condition'

This latest 'spoke in its wheel' comes at a time when Air Jamaica is about to commence a fight in the US courts with federal prosecutors who have sued the airline, alleging that it failed to immediately correct damage to a plane, and, consequently, flew the plane 58 times in "an un-airworthy condition".

It also comes at a time when the airline is anxiously searching for an investor as it moves towards divestment and in the midst of losses amounting to US$100 million ($7.1b) annually.

"We were willing to work out something with the airline, and were still willing to negotiate an agreement," said Gayle.

"We have since written to the company indicating that we have received our copy of the award, and we have requested that they indicate to us the earliest date when payment will be made," he added.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com