After Being Pressured To Resign, Air Malta Engineer Calls Out ‘Bullying’ At Airline
An Air Malta engineer who was pressured to resign after 40 years in the job has criticised the airline’s management for “bullying” employees to quit their jobs.
“Many workers myself included, don’t want money but our job,” John Baptist Camilleri, who is also a PN candidate and Marsaskala councillor, said during a recent interview on NET Live.
“However, when you weigh everything out, they’re giving us a sum of money to leave as quickly as possible. If we don’t take it and the company fails in two years’ time, we’ll sink with it so our hands are tied.”
Camilleri was one of 571 Air Malta employees who voluntarily resigned as part of a last-ditch cost-cutting scheme to save the ailing airline.
All these workers will remain on the government’s books and are set to be moved to jobs with the same salary grades.
He voiced his frustration at how things developed in recent weeks, warning the airline’s management adopted a stance of “stubbornness” when workers offered their help to find a way forward for the company.
“Working with the state airline is no joke, one feels a certain obligation and duty that cannot be understood unless you actually work there,” Camilleri said. “We don’t know where we’ll end up now but we’re most upset because they didn’t even want to sort things out.”
“I am ready to accept certain changes but at least give us a chance to save our jobs and the airline, and then if the plan fails in two years time I can leave with dignity. But no, it was either we leave today or nothing.”
“Workers are being bullied and we cannot stick with this attitude of bullying in this country. We’re offering the government and management a hand of friendship; we want to find a solution and we want to work but the decision has been taken.”
In a statement last week, Air Malta thanked employees and unions for their “understanding” shown throughout negotiations leading to the successful launch of the Voluntary Employee Transfer Scheme.
The airline described the scheme as an “important element of its latest major restructuring plan to build on its trusted brand to make the airline financially viable and sustainable in the long-term”.
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