Jan 2006 Financial News

Smooth take off for BWIA talks

Jan 10, 2006

NEGOTIATIONS to transform BWIA into a viable entity got off to a smooth start yesterday.

This was revealed by Curtis John, president of the Aviation Communication and Allied Workers Union (ACAWU).

John made the disclosure following discussions between BWIA’s board of directors and four unions representing the airline’s workers at BWIA’s Sunjet House offices in Port-of-Spain.

John described the meeting as cordial and meaningful. While declining to give specifics about the meeting, the ACAWU president said there was productive discussion, clarification and an exchange of proposals on many issues pertaining to plans to restructure the airline into a viable entity.

The ACAWU president said the exact structure of the new airline is undefined at this stage. Agreement, he said, has been reached in principle to work with the existing infrastructure at BWIA and build on it in order to improve the airline’s efficiency.

He stressed that no groundbreaking decisions were taken at yesterday’s talks, which were essentially laying the groundwork for future discussions.

John said given the Government’s mandate to transform BWIA, as articulated by Prime Minister Patrick Manning on September 28, 2005, in Parliament, the unions now have their work cut out for them. He said the unions will now evaluate the proposals advanced by BWIA’s board at yesterday’s meeting and return to the table next week with proposals of their own.

Manning said BWIA would eventually be transformed into a regional air carrier in which regional governments and private sectors would be able to purchase equity participation.

The Trinidad Newsday
Tuesday, 10th November, 2006.
http://www.newsday.co.tt/morenews.php?p=1#32357