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Tuesday, 25 March 2008
Air Jamaica has cancelled several of its morning flights as attendants have reportedly called in sick.
The flight attendants have been restive for some time because of stalled wage talks.
Prior to Tuesday's industrial action, the airline was served with two ultimatums.
Unions representing flight attendants as well as ground staff had given Air Jamaica until next week to start wage negotiations.
A meeting was set for Wednesday at the Ministry of Labour between the unions representing workers and the airline's management.
Air Jamaica's Executive Chairman, Shirley Williams, told RJR News on Tuesday morning that 38 flight attendants have called in sick.
"Between last night and this morning flight attendents have been calling in sick, we do hope as the day progresses we will be able to rectify these problems," said Ms. Williams.
"I am not sure what the nature of these problems are, there have been various reports in the news media. We are going to have a board meeting this morning and we have reported the matter to the Ministry of Labour," she said.
Air Jamaica's Kingston to Miami, Kingston to Fort Lauderdale and Kingston to Toronto as well as its Montego Bay to Orlando flights were cancelled Tuesday morning.
And Labour Minister Pearnel Charles has called a meeting at the Ministry of Labour with the management of the airline and the union representing flight attendants.
Mr. Charles told RJR News that he was awaiting the arrival of union officials to start the meeting.
In the meantime, he said the cancellation of flights has affected farm and hotel workers who were to leave the island Tuesday.
He said everything will be done by the Ministry of Labour to have speedy resumption of normality at the airline.
Air Jamaica has cancelled several of its morning flights as attendants have reportedly called in sick.
The flight attendants have been restive for some time because of stalled wage talks.
Prior to Tuesday's industrial action, the airline was served with two ultimatums.
Unions representing flight attendants as well as ground staff had given Air Jamaica until next week to start wage negotiations.
A meeting was set for Wednesday at the Ministry of Labour between the unions representing workers and the airline's management.
Air Jamaica's Executive Chairman, Shirley Williams, told RJR News on Tuesday morning that 38 flight attendants have called in sick.
"Between last night and this morning flight attendents have been calling in sick, we do hope as the day progresses we will be able to rectify these problems," said Ms. Williams.
"I am not sure what the nature of these problems are, there have been various reports in the news media. We are going to have a board meeting this morning and we have reported the matter to the Ministry of Labour," she said.
Air Jamaica's Kingston to Miami, Kingston to Fort Lauderdale and Kingston to Toronto as well as its Montego Bay to Orlando flights were cancelled Tuesday morning.
And Labour Minister Pearnel Charles has called a meeting at the Ministry of Labour with the management of the airline and the union representing flight attendants.
Mr. Charles told RJR News that he was awaiting the arrival of union officials to start the meeting.
In the meantime, he said the cancellation of flights has affected farm and hotel workers who were to leave the island Tuesday.
He said everything will be done by the Ministry of Labour to have speedy resumption of normality at the airline.
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