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Lay-offs are coming at the national airline Air Jamaica.
The new Board has reportedly ordered that audits be done in all departments to determine which areas of the work force should be reduced.
A notice has also been sent to Air Jamaica employees proposing a 12-month voluntary leave of absence.
Air Jamaica's Executive Chairman, Shirley Williams, on Monday night confirmed that the work force will be reduced.
According to Miss Williams, there is an urgent need to cut costs at the financially-troubled airline.
She argues that some areas of the airline are over-staffed.
"As I said from the very first day that I assumed responsibility for Air Jamaica we have to restructure the organization such that it is efficient. We have to do cuts in terms of human resources because in many areas they are overstaffed," said Ms. Williams.
"We are currently auditing every department at the end of which action is required to be taken in the interest of efficiency," she continued.
The Government has asked for Air Jamaica to be reorganised in preparation for privatisation.
The search is now on for an international partner to help run the 38-year-old airline.
And news of the impending lay-offs has reportedly triggered unrest among Air Jamaica employees.
The Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU), which represents just under 1,000 workers at the airline has rejected the voluntary leave of absence proposal.
President General of the BITU, Kavon Gayle, is predicting that if the management pursues this plan it will have a negative impact on Air Jamaica's operations.
"It was proposed to us earlier sometime this year and we raised concerns about how it would impact on the operations," said Mr. Gayle.
"What Air Jamaica needs to do is to make a forensic analysis of facets of their operation and come up with a structured set of objectives and priorities in terms of how they can improve operations and how they can reduce and save costs," he said.
He says a meeting will be held with the workers later this week.
Pilots and flight attendants are some of the workers represented by the BITU.
The new Board has reportedly ordered that audits be done in all departments to determine which areas of the work force should be reduced.
A notice has also been sent to Air Jamaica employees proposing a 12-month voluntary leave of absence.
Air Jamaica's Executive Chairman, Shirley Williams, on Monday night confirmed that the work force will be reduced.
According to Miss Williams, there is an urgent need to cut costs at the financially-troubled airline.
She argues that some areas of the airline are over-staffed.
"As I said from the very first day that I assumed responsibility for Air Jamaica we have to restructure the organization such that it is efficient. We have to do cuts in terms of human resources because in many areas they are overstaffed," said Ms. Williams.
"We are currently auditing every department at the end of which action is required to be taken in the interest of efficiency," she continued.
The Government has asked for Air Jamaica to be reorganised in preparation for privatisation.
The search is now on for an international partner to help run the 38-year-old airline.
And news of the impending lay-offs has reportedly triggered unrest among Air Jamaica employees.
The Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU), which represents just under 1,000 workers at the airline has rejected the voluntary leave of absence proposal.
President General of the BITU, Kavon Gayle, is predicting that if the management pursues this plan it will have a negative impact on Air Jamaica's operations.
"It was proposed to us earlier sometime this year and we raised concerns about how it would impact on the operations," said Mr. Gayle.
"What Air Jamaica needs to do is to make a forensic analysis of facets of their operation and come up with a structured set of objectives and priorities in terms of how they can improve operations and how they can reduce and save costs," he said.
He says a meeting will be held with the workers later this week.
Pilots and flight attendants are some of the workers represented by the BITU.
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