Air Malta cabin crew have a guarantee similar to that signed with pilots, securing their job until 2022, according to a document seen by Times of Malta.

While the pilots’ agreement was signed by former tourism minister Konrad Mizzi, the one with cabin crew was signed by his predecessor, Edward Zammit Lewis, when he served as tourism minister in August 2016.

The agreement states: “The government of Malta is giving all Air Malta cabin crew a job guarantee and will actively consider a voluntary early retirement scheme for all cabin crew so that the company can reach the ‘right size’ that will be agreed between all parties, including the Union of Cabin Crew.”

The government also gave a guarantee that cabin crew would continue receiving the take-home-pay and all allowances due until 2022 in line with the best level received during 2014, 2015 and 2016, according to their choice.

The need to respect that job guarantee is one of the arguments made by the Union of Cabin Crew in a judicial protest it filed in court on Thursday as talks reached a dead end with the airline in a bid to avoid the termination of 139 cabin crew jobs. The airline is also planning to shed 108 pilots.

A further 150 cabin crew on a fixed-term contract received an email from the airline’s human resources officer on Wednesday informing them that their contract was being renewed for May. It also asked them to go to the Skyparks office to sign their agreements.

A union source had no explanation for this move.

Commercial flights have been suspended due to COVID-19 and cabin crew members had already been informed the airline had no intention of renewing their contracts beyond April.

Air Malta had even informed the Director of Industrial and Employment Relations about the plan.

The source said cabin crew, who earn between €30,000 and €40,000 a year, were willing to forgo their salary for a social wage of €1,200 a month. However, the airline was expecting the union to give up basic rights such as the means to settle disputes.

Talks have also revolved around some of the benefits included in their collective agreement which expires in 2022. The airline wants cabin crew to forgo considerable perks, such as a level of salary that is paid even if not enough hours are worked.

The sources said the cabin crew were willing to give up this benefit for 2020 and 2021 as a sign they are willing to reach a compromise. This would save the airline more than €600,000.

In its judicial protest, the UCC called on the prime minister and the economy minister to intervene in the impasse. It said it resorted to urgent legal action after all its efforts, both “formal and informal,” seeking government intervention in the delicate matter, had failed.

It said emails had gone unanswered and “lack of interest” by the state effectively amounted to a clear breach of government’s obligations.

Practically all airlines are introducing cost-cutting measures in a bid to avoid redundancies or outright collapse.

Air Malta has been struggling financially for several years, despite a €130 million government bailout and restructuring plan in 2012.