The Air Malta pilots' union late on Saturday reacted angrily to the airline's decision to sack half of its pilots, saying the COVID-19 pandemic was only a pretext to do away with the current conditions of employment.
The airline on Saturday said it had sacked 69 pilots after talks with the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) failed.
ALPA said the airline's decision came "as a complete surprise" in view of the regularity with which meetings were recently being held, and progress which was perceived to have been made.
It said it had always approached discussions in the best interests of its
members and with the intention of ensuring the prosperity and the long-term viability of Malta’s national airline.
"A number of concrete and feasible proposals, as well as significant cost-cutting measures, were put forward by the association in an attempt to strengthen the economic setup of the company," it said.
It added that a new round of talks was initiated early last week at the behest of the company, following an assurance provided by the company’ chairman, Charles Mangion, to the effect that no jobs would be shed as long as such negotiations were under way. Such commitment was made following receipt of positive comments by both Mangion, as well as by Economy Minister Silvio
Schembri.
"It is the Association’s view that the laying off of a significant portion of Air Malta’s pilot fleet will be detrimental to the airline’s future. The company’s decision to proceed with the contemplated redundancies underlines the
use of the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to do away with the current conditions of employment for its workers, whilst, on the other hand, ensuring that excessively generous packages for those in the higher tiers of the
company’s management are retained," ALPA said.
"In contrast, the company has refused to provide any appreciable feedback with regards to the association’s proposed 50% pay-cut across the board throughout the duration of the pandemic."
The union filed a warrant of prohibitory injunction to stop the Air Malta action to dismiss the pilots. The application was temporarily upheld.