ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, Oct 10, CMC – The Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA) is calling on the regional airline, LIAT, to end the “stalling and delaying tactics” and provide accounting information regarding the retirement funds of its members.
In a statement, LIALPA said that it has been trying unsuccessfully for the past three years for the cash-strapped airline to provide the information and as recent as December last year, the company refused to respond to proposals from its attorney.
“These proposals are in agreement with the Court’s ruling that the collective agreement between LIALPA and LIAT is binding and enforceable and emphasizes that the staff provident (retirement) fund contributions cannot be unilaterally closed and arrears are to be paid and contributions should continue. “The proposals also called for an audit of all staff provident fund deductions not yet paid out to pilots, in order for any new pension scheme to be started,” the union representing the pilots added.
LIALPA has received sound legal advice that the company’s unauthorized deductions/contributions from pilots’ salaries other than towards the contracted staff provident (retirement) fund,” is a breach of Labour Laws …and constitutes a criminal offense”.
LIALPA said it is insisting that “transparency and accountability should be the order of the day at LIAT. “However, despite many repeated calls from the pilots to account for their contributions to date into the Staff Provident Fund, the calls either continues to fall on deaf ears.”
It said that the airline has been blaming “problems with accountants” for its inability to provide the information and that “LIALPA deems this excuse “totally unacceptable.
“Therefore, we have come to the general public, so that they can become aware of the three year old problem, the defiance and unreasonableness of LIAT’s management, and the decreasing patience of pilots.
“LIALPA’s leadership continues to contain its pilots’ angst and skepticism, but we can only do so much when the company remains defiant in activities contrary to Court Decisions and contrary to transparency and accountability.”
The union said that it has no other choice but to make a public appeal for LIAT to produce audited statements of pilots’ contributions into their Retirement Fund.
“We demand nothing less than a company that conducts its business in a transparent and accountable manner. This would ensure the continued cooperation and enthusiasm the pilots have shown to the company in the face of this ongoing three (year old ordeal,” LIALPA said.
Efforts to get a response from LIAT have so far proven futile.