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Update 2 | Air Malta chief Peter Davies dubs pilots’ industrial action ‘pathetic’
Pilots register industrial dispute after cancellation of leave in August and September
16 August 2013, 12:00am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
2 min read
Air Malta chief executive says pilots' union ALPA is sabre-rattling
Air Malta chief executive Peter Davies has taken up the gauntlet after pilots announced they would register an industrial dispute with the national airline over the cancellation of approved leave and requests for leave in August and September.
In an email he sent to airline chairman Ray Fenech, Davies dubbed the pilots' warning as "pathetic", and that he was ready to "take them on".
"This is pure sabre-rattling and as usual, ALPA do it in a vacuum with no regard to the real issues," Davies said in the email seen by MaltaToday.
ALPA has instructed its members for a dress-down, in the first of steps it has taken in its industrial dispute, which will start in the next week.
In a statement issued at 6pm, Air Malta said it was committed to discuss "all open points with ALPA at a management level in a comprehensive and constructive manner," adding that it had already offered to meet on 20 August.
"Some open matters cannot be resolved to unreaslistic prescribed deadlines from ALPA, but rather need time and cooperation to reach constructive and mutually-agreed outcomes. Air Malta management regrest ALPA's inappropriate sabre-rattling at this time. There is no justification for any threat for an industrial dispute on these issues. Not for the first time, ALPA is threatening a dispute at the height of the summer season, whcih can only damage Air Malt and the broader tourism industry," Peter Davies.
"I cannot allow for the hard work and effort put in by many employees, for the ALPA executive to ruin it on the premise of malicious disinformation. The airline, the the country and the tourist industry does not deserve these threats," Davies added.
The union claims the airline has been dragging its feet on numerous issues, amongst them taxation on the early-retirement scheme, the jump-seat policy and crew transport, but the cancellation of leave requests for September was the final straw for ALPA.
Air Malta pilots are up in arms over cancellations to their approved leave in August and September, as a well-deserved break appears to have been cut short by the airline over roster issues.
Earlier today, MaltaToday reported that members of pilots' union Airline Pilots Association were turned down for urgent talks over the cancelled leave.
"As things stand, there is a pilot crew shortage for September, with flights still without crew in September. So there have been cancellations of approved leave and requests for leave in September - the pilots claim this is in breach of ALPA's collective agreement," an airline source said.
Talks between the union and management could not take place, because Air Malta's chief officer flight operations, Captain Mark Micallef Eynaud, was on leave.
One pilot who spoke to MaltaToday said the cancellation of leave requests and approved leave was "the last straw" - "if cancellations had to take place, why didn't they take place months ago, when the roster was finalised. We cannot take the stress of not having a break after all these months."
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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Speaking from experience as an x Major airline employee, am afraid am on the side of the Pilots. In my Airline, for example, no one could take leave over the Christmas period. You could apply but it was granted at the last minute, depending on the Operational requirements.However,we knew this when the rosters were finalised,so no one complained.
Cancelling leave that was approved is bad management.
I hope there is no strike action
but the Airline should be managed better..
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Peter davies cannit be easily sacked as rhe PN goverent assured him with a with a golden handshake of 2M if he is sacked
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Well, your salary is certaily not pathetic. pmurray its better if we have an investigation on Peter Davies wife. Jonas Cord Jr. fully agree with you. Nikos it's about time Peter Davies and his friends are given a lesson. jeanpula61 osservazzjoni tajba. kukkanja inti lest li ħalli lil min jgħaddi ż-żmien bik u jkażbar drittijietek?
Joseph MELI •
Isn't everyone here missing the point ?As the leave in dispute was "approved"(by whom?) which has now become unilaterally no longer approved(by whom? ) .What is really "pathetic" Mr Davies is the time taken for Air Malta to announce its findings/conclusions into the more than one year old "probe" into Capt.Azzopardi's (ALPA leader) MILANGATE affair!
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Government must not allow Mr Peter Davies to ride rough shod over the legitimate rights of Air Malta's employees be they pilots or in any other nomenclature. The sooner Mr Davies and the crew he brought from abroad as his collaborators leave our shores the better. In the meantime the new board appointed by the present administration should apply its power to restrain Mr Davies if need be.
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How can you hold urgent meetings if micallef eynaud and Davies are always abroad or on the boat. As for alpa they need to tell us whether such leave can actually br taken without cancelling any flights. It would still show that management is incompetent but not much can be done . Air malta should recall all pilots who are away on unpaid leave if someone got tne numbers wrong
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How can you hold urgent meetings if micallef eynaud and Davies are always abroad or on the boat. As for alpa they need to tell us whether such leave can actually br taken without cancelling any flights. It would still show that management is incompetent but not much can be done . Air malta should recall all pilots who are away on unpaid leave if someone got tne numbers wrong
Paul Pandolfino •
Alpa has been trying to disrupt the Airline's progress for a long time. It is time that they should be given a lesson. I am sure this Govt will not allow this nonsense to continue.
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Nixtieq nirispondi lil Kukkanja
Jek inholqot problema minhabba li mhux ser ikun hem Pilota bizzejed ghal Septembru ma tahsibx li is Sur Peter Davies
ghandu igor ir responsabilta u jirrezenja ghax hu kien responsabli mit tnaqis tal haddiema ta Air Malta jew peress li dan inhatar min Gvern Nazzjonalista qedin tedefenduh jien ghalija dan il bniedem ghal paga biss qijad ghax hlif Frejeg ma ghamilx
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What I find strange is that pilots apply for and are given leave at the height of the season.
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This is a matter of relativity. Myself I am still worry on a 20 euro ticket because it is unfair and I am on a pension.
The pilots who had their salary chopped, had more hour flight time etc., I believe they should worry because not everybody is pulling the same rope.
We have Mr. Peter Davies with his half a million euro yearly and his wife holding an Air Malta plane for her first class free flight to Malta. We have Peter Davies not only did he do well but got a full group all payed well from the same pocket Air Malta. I have seen this government of the day change heads and claim the new one work for less. Why not kick all these characters and replace them with less expensive and more competent people many be there will be some money left for the pilots and we all leave happy after.
Joseph MELI •
If they have a collective pre-agreement then Air Malta management cannot initiate unilateral and arbitrary "new" terms and conditions without prior consultation and agreement and ,if so ,then the Union has a solid case for action .Who sanctioned this cancellation of approved leave -as surely it has to come from the very top?
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Iz-zejjed kollu zejjed!
Pilots know that Air Malta is on its knees; why are they asking for leave in the most critical time of the year? No body in the private industry is that irresponsible. If things should come to this the Government might as well close it down or sell to to foreign investors. I supported Air Malta and its employees but it seems as if they want a repeat of the 'drydocks saga: the GWU was irresponsible enough to ask for wage increases and GonziPN-with Austin Gatt at the helm- responded with gusto! Its never to late to learn from the past mistakes!
