{"id":118577,"date":"2020-10-18T08:26:43","date_gmt":"2020-10-18T12:26:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=118577"},"modified":"2020-10-18T08:26:43","modified_gmt":"2020-10-18T12:26:43","slug":"cal-pilots-take-57-pay-cut-to-save-jobs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/cal-pilots-take-57-pay-cut-to-save-jobs\/","title":{"rendered":"CAL pilots take 57% pay cut to save jobs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Trinidad and Tobago Airline Pilots Association (TTALPA) and Caribbean Airlines have agreed that all pilots\u2019 salaries will be cut by 57 per cent \u2014 just over half \u2014 for the next three months, to support CAL\u2019s cost cutting measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>

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TTALPA represents CAL\u2019s estimated 149 pilots. The development halts CAL\u2019s plan to start sending home some pilots on three months\u2019 No-Pay Leave from Monday.<\/p>\n

The pay cut will halve the salaries of all CAL\u2019s pilots until January 2021.<\/p>

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It will also affect other aspects of their pay up to June 2021, but they will keep their jobs.
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CAL received revised documents from TALPA last Friday. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed by CAL Human Resources head Roger Berkley and TTALPA head, captain Larry Imamshah later that day.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a bittersweet situation,\u201d said TTALPA\u2019s industrial relations consultant Gerard Pinard. \u201cIt meant between a rock and hard place, but we\u2019re making the sacrifices and reached an agreement.\u201d<\/p>

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CAL communications manager Dionne Ligoure said discussions, which had been ongoing were expected to be concluded shortly.<\/p>\n

Pilots were among the employees which CAL planned to send home temporarily due to effects from the pandemic, which closed T&T\u2019s borders. Up to June, the grounded airline lost $96 million.<\/p>

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Last month CAL announced it would send home about one-third of staff \u2014 600 \u2014 for three months and institute pay cuts for others earning $7,500 over eight months starting last Thursday. CAL was expected to start issuing letters on Monday to pilots.<\/p>

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Pinard said after CAL rejected an initial TTALPA proposal, TTALPA suggested a salary cut and CAL called the 57 per cent figure and other conditions. He detailed the situation.<\/p>\n

Apart from wanting to ensure CAL and T&T keep steady, pilots then voted among themselves to accept the three months 57 per cent pay cut for some of their fellow pilots \u2014who would have been sent home temporarily without pay \u2014 to continue working.<\/p>\n

Pinard said pilots accepted the pay cut despite operating with salary rates negotiated in 2014. Negotiations are outstanding for collective agreements for 2015-2018 and 2018-2021.<\/p>\n

Under the agreement for fleet managers captains, pilots:<\/p>\n