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Air Malta engineers undecided over Friday demonstration
Union of airline engineers undecided over joining national demonstration by Forum unions, ALPA and GWU.
11 July 2011, 12:00am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
2 min read
The Association of Airline Engineers has announced it has not taken a final decision whether it will participate in a planned demonstration by Air Malta unions, the Forum unions’ federation, and the General Workers Union on Friday.
“Concerning the planned demonstration, discussions with Forum and AAE members are ongoing and – contrary to media reports – no final decision has yet been taken,” the union said in a statement.
The demonstration is being spearheaded by the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA), which is expected to decide on Wednesday whether to go ahead with plans to ground aircraft on 16 July. Air Malta today filed a judicial protest against ALPA.
The AAE said it would work within the Forum unions’ federation and other Air Malta unions to find the best solutions possible for employees at the national airline facing redundancies.
The Association of Airline Engineers (AAE) Malta is in active discussions with Air Malta management in finding solutions to the many problems the Company is facing. These discussions are still at the very earliest stages.
“We don’t believe that dismissing employees can solve the company’s problems or make up for bad management decisions in the past,” the AAE said in a statement today.
“Over the years, one-sided commercial contracts have crippled the airline almost out of existence. The Association wants to see Air Malta management be proactive and aggressive on renegotiating its commercial contracts and restoring the company to profitability.”
The AAE, like the Airline Pilots Association and the Union of Cabin Crew, is a member of Forum, a federation of 11 unions which will be leading a demonstration with the General Workers Union on Friday.
Earlier today, the Malta Institute of Management joined the chorus of industry associations and employers’ organisations calling on ALPA to abandon strike actions.
“It is clear that the future of the national airline may be at stake… the MIM appeals to all concerned to leave no stone unturned, through flexible attitudes and constructive dialogue, to hopefully find in good time the urgently needed equitable solutions.”
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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@martin borg
As an Airmalta admirer, I think that Engineers are clever people, maybe first they wait for an Early Retirement Scheme, and who qualifies will be the amount dismissed. I believe they should be called "Mangia ostji, kakka diavoli". I believe they might be angry at the pilots, so they won't take part in next Friday's demonstrationthat is to save Airmalta. If Airmalta will be saved, then their biggest friends might be the pilots. I really wish that the company will be saved, but apparently, the Engineers disagree with the rest of the Unions. I really hope that the workers can make it.
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Some people are blind and yet they say they see!
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If what was reported by other media that the Union of Engineers will not strike simply because only one engineer is earmarked for redundancy then this is a union of selfish hypocrits.
How many engineers need be dismissed before AAE would take any meaningful action?
2?
3?
4?
how many?
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UNLESS THIS COUNTRY CAN SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE, AIR MALTA MIGHT BE A FOOTNOTE IN HISTORY LIKE SEA MALTA.
THIS WHOLE NATION OR THOSE BRAVE ENOUGH TO STAND UP FOR THEIR COUNTRY'S NATIONAL AIRLINE OWE THEIR LOYALTY TO AIR MALTA FOR IT'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MALTESE PEOPLE.
a SMALL SACRIFICE CONSIDERING THE ALTERNATIVES AND THE REPERCUSSIONS.
SITTING ON THE FENCE OR WITH HEADS IN THE SANDS ARE SIMPLY NOT A MALTESE TRADE MARK WHEN DUTY CALLS.
