LIAT’s management and pilots continue to clash

LIAT pilots are refusing to fly today on the advice of the Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIAPLA), resulting in four flights being disrupted so far for the day.
This is according to LIAT’s management, which indicated that the action comes as the pilots and management continue to butt heads on negotiations for higher wages.
The affected flights are between St Vincent and Barbados; Barbados to Tortola; Tortola to Barbados; and Antigua, St Kitts and Tortola.
According to a directive from LIALPA to the pilots, with effect from June 7, the pilots who are permanent having completed probation, must immediately refrain from flying the ATR 72 series aircraft.
This directive came a day after the pilots’ association wrote to LIAT’s acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Julie Reifer Jones, accusing LIAT’s management of failing to register the settlement terms brokered by the Attorney General and Labour Minister Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin on May 24.
An emergency meeting was called this morning with the minister, LIAT’s management and the pilot.