‘We Will Not Be Intimidated’: Pilots Bite Back As Air Malta’s Injunction To Temporarily Halt Strikes Is Upheld
In a brief statement made today by the ALPA, pilots have temporarily withdrawn their stances of industrial action awaiting the delivery of a ruling. Air Malta, talking through the Airline Pilots Association, has promised that their members’ obligations will still be met, but it still holds a responsibility to safeguard passengers.
And while Air Malta has been awarded a court injunction that will prevent the pilots from proceeding with industrial action, ALPA said it will not be “intimidated” by the national airline.
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An early retirement scheme of €700,000 by age 55 should the national airline face bankruptcy is what the union is demanding.
Resorting to industrial action is the response to airline management’s refusal to follow stipulated company procedures. Reportedly, crew are being deployed illegally through company guidelines.
The union is also striking in response to “the company’s persistent failure to address concerns relating to the safety and wellbeing of its members”.
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Air Malta has been accused of a painting a “false and unclear” picture of the current state of affairs within the business. Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association bit back at the ALPA, saying that the pension guarantee was “unreasonable.”
In a further response, “2019 has seen the demise of a number of European carriers, one of the latest being Iceland’s WOW airlines. WOW’s bankruptcy hit not on the employees of the airline but had a considerable effect on Iceland’s economy,” the MHRA continued.
In reference to the pension guarantee, the MHRA argued that although pilots may do their job well, so does everyone else in the airline and further across the economy, saying this action also threatened MHRA and the wider economy as a whole.
“Air Malta was given a lifeline by the EU with an injection of €250 million on a ‘one-time last time’ basis and was continuously fighting for its life,” MHRA continued, calling for a more reasonable approach to reach a solution. “It was therefore imperative that all those who were part of Air Malta contributed towards its survival and growth.”