The Antigua and Barbuda Airport Authority (ABAA), at a high court hearing on Saturday at 8 pm, opted to file an emergency injunction against the workers to force a stoppage of go-slow protest which began on Saturday.
ABAA CEO, Euletta Francis had confirmed that there was a “go-slow” in progress on Saturday and that the airport management was not advised of the “go-slow” beforehand.
According to Francis, the reason for the “go-slow” was not made explicitly clear by the staff.
Francis said she understood why the staff chose Saturday to carry out such actions as Saturday is one of, if not the busiest day of operations for the airport.
Present at the court hearing were the ABAA management, its employees and the union representing them – the Antigua & Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU).
The matter was heard by Justice Marissa Robertson who gave ABAA until midday Monday to file all the relevant documents in their claim for an injunction.
They were also instructed by Robertson to meet in her chambers on Tuesday morning for further advice on the matter.
According to ABWU Acting General Secretary Chester Hughes, the ABAA workers are frustrated because there seems to be a sense of apathy as it relates to recommendations made around two years ago. These recommendations entailed that ABAA management would have commissioned concerning proposed adjustments to salaries and wages.
“The employees are frustrated because the second year of the contract is now ending. And we are now going into the third year come January and we have not come to a single conclusion on even one single group of employees and their wages” said Hughes.
Members of ABAA, ABWU are expected to meet with Attorney General, Steadroy Benjamin, at 2 pm on Monday.
“We gave the minister and the court the assurance that all will be well at the airport, because what we are saying is let’s get to the table and let’s resolve this matter and stop beating around the bush” Hughes concluded.
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“Though flight schedules have not been affected, the sheer traffic at the airport means lines have not been moving at an optimal pace. Francis shared that the Authority had put certain mitigating measures in place, which are working as expected.”
The go slower was ineffective so said the CEO. I wonder what would happen if the janitors join the slower action….. Bathrooms in a mess eh…
Once the janitor staffs had decided to join the slow action, that is when the CEO and the management team put their hands to the tools and carryout the janitor daily duties.
INJUNCTION AGAINST WORKERS? – STEP ASIDE
When ‘…Management; opts to invite the Judiciary on its employees, then it might be time for the ‘…Manager and Managing Team’ to ‘…Step Aside.’
This Manager and Management team, might be well advised to leave the Judiciary alone, and seek to approach and settle existing problems otherwise.
Application of ‘…rules and regulations’ are as necessary in business as they are necessary in homes and educational institutions.
Such application shall be tempered with ‘… necessity, rationality, sensitivity and a commonsense approach.’
That which the manager shall bear in mind, is that it is not necessarily the employees who want him/her to manage them, but the ‘…manager who wants them to work willingly, satisfactory and productively.’
That which shall be known is that the Judiciary does not ‘…Make Rules,’ neither for businesses, nor their operations.’
Among a manager’s duty are to;
(i) ‘…Have firsthand knowledge of teething or deep-seated staff problems or concerns.’
Thus, the manager not only looks at reaction, nut also ‘…causation;
(ii) …Find amicable ways to solve or address them;
(iii) …He/she shall create an enabling environment, primarily to ensure good working management/employees relations; and
(iv) …Team building.’
In the instant case, rigid application does not necessarily bring about’… desired results or reform behavior or attitude, neither to management or work.’
The Manager who came in peace, shall leave in peace.
When you have managers who believe that the employees don’t have degrees so the don’t deserve to work for any more than they are getting or who will chair a meeting and proclaim that they are not afraid of the employees this is type of response that will be taken because there is no relationship or respect for the people you should be governing. So the employees working willingly, satisfactory and productively is going to take a lot from higher up to bring this to a just end. It’s a shame really.
Instead of trying to fix the issues with the workers, the employer wants to further complicate the relationship by asking a court to take away their rights. This is typical of Caribbean enterprises. The only thing we seem to have taken away from slavery is how best to use it to our own advantage. Wake up people! Governments don’t care about us.
When the Director of Operations say he is going to whip the staff into shape.. Then I guess taking the staff to court is really a form of whipping them into shape, lack of respect for staff who keeps the airport running in the background, guess even then the staff is still not important
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