Turbulence! Air Jamaica president resigns

[Mosiah]

Turbulence! Air Jamaica president resigns - Workers say he was forced out
published: Friday | October 19, 2007

Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter


Williams

Tensions are now running high among the staff at Air Jamaica following the shocking and immediate resignation of president Mike Conway yesterday.

Workers at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay last night walked off the job, shutting down the airport for a short period, in protest against Mr. Conway's resignation. The former president was reportedly well admired by the staff at the national carrier, and reports reaching The Gleaner are that other workers across the island were restive.

An urgent meeting has been scheduled for 10:30 this morning with the board of Air Jamaica, Mr. Conway and delegates from the National Workers' Union (NWU) and the Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees.

Customer base


Conway

Senior negotiating officer of the NWU, Granville Valentine, is advising workers to be mindful of the customer base of the airline.

"Workers have been asking me what it is they can do. I am sure that we will have to do a hell of a job to keep these workers on the job; it is going to be serious times in the next few hours at Air Jamaica," he told The Gleaner last night. "We just want to appeal to our people to let good sense prevail ... and to ensure that we look at the bigger picture," he added.

According to information reaching The Gleaner, Mr. Conway had a meeting with the new board of the airline, in which he enacted the change of control provision in his contract which allowed him to resign.

But, Mr. Valentine who spoke highly of Mr. Conway, said the union was upset and believed Mr. Conway was forced out of the airline.

"I spoke with Conway earlier today (yesterday) and there was absolutely no decision (on his part) to resign. We are of the view that Mr. Conway was asked to resign. The union at this time is quite upset as to this sudden change for Mr. Conway to leave."

When contacted, Minister of Transport and Works Mike Henry said he was not aware of the resignation.

Surprisingly the resignation comes one day after the announcement of the appointment of Shirley Williams as chairman of the board of Air Jamaica. When contacted by The Gleaner yesterday, Ms. Williams was tight-lipped about the reasons surrounding the resignation of Mr.Conway."Mr. Conway has resigned and I have accepted his resignation. It would be unfortunate if the workers would jeopardise the smooth operations of the airline because Mr. Conway has tendered his resignation. I am sure they are misguided if they have done so," she said.

Mr. Conway who was appointed in 2005 at the loss-making airline described his time at the airline as a labour of love.

"It's a form of divorce if you will and I am disappointed. I won't be here to execute the plans that I really believed in and was approved by the prior government, because I really believe that the company can be profitable, but major decisions had to be made".

He continued: "anytime you get new people, new board, new government, they have some different views as to the way forward and that is their prerogative..."

mark.beckford@gleanerjm.com

[Mosiah]

Good going, Shirley!

[Karl]

Turbulence! Air Jamaica president resigns - Workers say he was forced out

published: Friday | October 19, 2007

Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter


Williams

Tensions are now running high among the staff at Air Jamaica following the shocking and immediate resignation of president Mike Conway yesterday.

Workers at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay last night walked off the job, shutting down the airport for a short period, in protest against Mr. Conway's resignation. The former president was reportedly well admired by the staff at the national carrier, and reports reaching The Gleaner are that other workers across the island were restive.

An urgent meeting has been scheduled for 10:30 this morning with the board of Air Jamaica, Mr. Conway and delegates from the National Workers' Union (NWU) and the Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees.

mark.beckford@gleanerjm.com

Air J boss quits

Conway resigns from national airline with immediate effect
INGRID BROWN, Observer staff reporter browni@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, October 19, 2007


CONWAY. willing to give assistance if needed
CHIEF executive officer of Air Jamaica Mike Conway yesterday resigned from the national airline with immediate effect, two days after Cabinet approved a new board headed by former Jamaica Labour Party senator, Shirley Williams.

Conway, who was two years into his three-year contract with the airline, yesterday declined to say whether he was pressured into resigning.

"No, I am not going to comment on that because now we are getting into details which can only lead to speculation," Conway told the Observer. "You have a new board, a new government and they have certain ideas and they should have people to execute those ideas."

He said, however, that his resignation "seemed to be the right decision, all things considered".

The former Air Jamaica boss said the 2,500 staff members at the airline needed a leader who was ready to "charge up the hill with whatever new plans were being proposed".

According to Conway, his employment agreement had a provision for him to be able to resign in the event of a change of government.
"If you take a position under a certain administration and you are comfortable with the plan and the people who hired you, when the administration changes, then it is not in the same condition as when you started," he said.
He added: "If the landscape changes from what you are signing up for, one should always negotiate the option to get out of the contract because the landscape has now significantly changed from when you bought on."

He made it clear, however, that there was no animosity between himself and the new board of the airline, adding that he would be willing to give assistance if needed.

He said that a piece of his heart would always be in Jamaica, and that he would keep his job options open, even though he was in a position where he would not have to work if he doesn't want to.
"I have had lots of offers since I have been here, which I might entertain," he added.

Conway said he hoped his immediate resignation does not cause any instability at the company, but said it might come as a shock to many people as he had only informed those he directly reports to of his decision up to late yesterday evening.

In an interview on Wednesday night, the new Air Jamaica chairman, Shirley Williams, said the board's first major task would be to find out definitively what were the reasons behind the carrier's annual loss.
"We don't have much time, so we have to get in there, brief ourselves, look at the problem and find the solutions," she said.

Williams said board members were aware that some members of the public were disenchanted with the service and that some staff members are also demotivated by the way things have been going at the airline. She, however, vowed to bring the national carrier "back up to standard".
"We have the challenge of working with the staff, and the challenge with the public to win them back and the challenge of the global economy where the airline business is already a very challenging one," said Williams.

[Karl]

Air J forgetting its mission

Air J forgetting its mission
published: Friday | October 19, 2007

Dennie Quill, Contributor
All of last week South Florida media were promoting weddings in Barbados. And our own Air Jamaica had a starring role in this wedding package promotion to Barbados. The promotion included giveaways of US$500,000 and trips to the all-inclusive Almond Resorts in that island. Then last Saturday there was live radio broadcast from Bridgetown to Florida, in furtherance of this promotion. I have no idea how this promotion was funded and even if Air Jamaica's input was minimal, I have a serious problem with the concept.

Air Jamaica's vice-president of Marketing, George deMercado, was reported in the media as endorsing this Barbados thrust into the wedding market via IdoBarbados.com. The promotion includes an offer of upgrades to the bride and groom when 20 or more of their wedding party guests travel to Barbados on Air Jamaica.

It struck me as odd that the national airline should be promoting weddings in Barbados when Jamaican properties such as Sandals and Superclubs, are spending huge amounts of their own money to establish themselves as the Caribbean destination for weddings. Ironically this is happening at a time when the new Minister of Tourism, Ed Bartlett, is trekking all over the world in search of new business for Jamaica as the Government seeks to fulfill its promise of more jobs for our people.

Fund other projects
So what really is the mission of Air Jamaica? If the taxpayers of this country are being asked to continue to fund this airline on the basis that it exists to promote Jamaica as a tour and travel destination why are we aiding Barbados in competing with our own tourism product? Money spent on tourism promotion is not designed to help the hotel sector only, it is an investment intended to earn rewards for the entire country. Tax revenues generated by the tourism industry enable the state to fund other projects.

Call me insular if you want, but given the fractured nature of Air Jamaica's financial situation, I find it disconcerting that our national airline should participate and endorse Barbados in its bid to cut into our market. Every tourist that is diverted from Jamaica means there is less food on the table for some of our people. For that is what is happening. Barbados offers the same sand, sea and sunshine, besides they have less crime. So it is not difficult for them to pull the rug from under our feet. The one thing Barbados doesn't have is a national airline. Why should Jamaican taxpayers be saddled with the burden of a failing carrier when as soon as it gets new money from Parliament it runs off seeking to promote another country's tourism product?

The powerful and vocal minority that have been making the case for Government to pump more and more money into this national airline would be hard-pressed to explain the justification for participating in any promotion which could result in diverting tourist traffic from Jamaica to anywhere else.

The litmus test
Those in business say making any kind of investment should result in a return two or three times over. How much did Air Jamaica spend in this promotion? Will Mike Conway tell the Jamaican people why instead of building momentum with our wedding and honeymoon packages we are seeking to carry planeloads of foreigners into Barbados? Should the litmus test of what is in it for Jamaica be applied to any kind of investment/promotion in which Air Jamaica participates?

The other question on my mind is who monitors promotions such as these to determine if the investment brings in the returns predicted? Overall the effectiveness in all promotional efforts should be reflected in increased business for Jamaica. So if the promotion fails to achieve its objectives are there consequences?

Air Jamaica has a new chairman in the thoughtful, no-nonsense Shirley Williams, I trust that she will make some dramatic changes at Air Jamaica and ensure that people who are at the helm of the national airline are national in outlook and understand that in this 'dog eat dog' world, Jamaica should look after its interests first.


Dennie Quill is a veteran journalist who may be reached at denniequill@hotmail.com.

[Karl]

mmmmm?
Competing interests with conflicts?
Has Air Jamaica contributed to promotions in others of its destinations?

[Lazie]

The workers in Montego Bay walked off the job last evening. Currently listening to the Breakfast Club with Ms. Williams and Mr. Valentine and it is clear what is going on here.

His first comment was to point out that the new board had none of the Air J workers on it. Well, Ms. Williams had to make him aware that the slot is there for an employee and an announcement will be made shortly. Opps.

He was talking about how good Mr. Conway treated the workers, Ms. Shirley made him aware that there was a clause in Mr. Conway's contract that he may choose to resign if there is a change of gov't.

It is clear what these cats in the NWU is trying to do. Pity many will close their eyes to it.