Workers at Air Jamaica have joined the call for the removal of flight privileges to Parliamentarians as part of proposed cost cutting measures at the cash-strapped airline.
The issue came up during a special meeting Monday night involving Air Jamaica employees and officials of the National Workers Union (NWU).
According to NWU Vice-President, Granville Valentine the workers are demanding that the policy of providing complimentary first class tickets be immediately terminated.
Mr. Valentine said a suggestion was also made for the airline to recover the cost of free airline tickets issued to Parliamentarians in the past.
"They are bleeding the country dry and this money should be paid retroactively for all those years that they (benefited from this arrangement with) the company ... this is direct cash that they have taken away from the company by not paying for their travel."
Mr. Valentine said the revenue of the company cannot be maintained if this practice continues.
"The workers are serious that they need to be paid and they believe that they are being cheated, robbed by the politicians of Jamaica," he said.
The union believes the removal of the free travel policy for Parliamentarians will save Air Jamaica millions of dollars and allow it to pay workers increased salaries.
The issue came up during a special meeting Monday night involving Air Jamaica employees and officials of the National Workers Union (NWU).
According to NWU Vice-President, Granville Valentine the workers are demanding that the policy of providing complimentary first class tickets be immediately terminated.
Mr. Valentine said a suggestion was also made for the airline to recover the cost of free airline tickets issued to Parliamentarians in the past.
"They are bleeding the country dry and this money should be paid retroactively for all those years that they (benefited from this arrangement with) the company ... this is direct cash that they have taken away from the company by not paying for their travel."
Mr. Valentine said the revenue of the company cannot be maintained if this practice continues.
"The workers are serious that they need to be paid and they believe that they are being cheated, robbed by the politicians of Jamaica," he said.
The union believes the removal of the free travel policy for Parliamentarians will save Air Jamaica millions of dollars and allow it to pay workers increased salaries.
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