UPDATE: Government Wants LIAT Workers To Agree To A 50% Cut

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LIAT workers are being asked to agree to a 50 per cent cut in severance payments following a meeting with their union today.

Government’s Chief of Staff Lionel Max Hurst says while a 30 percent cut was proposed, Prime Minister Gaston Browne indicated that this may not be sufficient.

Hurst said what the government is proposing in a 50 percent cut. He said if the union agrees to this staff will also benefit from shares in LIAT.

According to the Chief of Staff, any proposal would need to be taken to the shareholder governments as an alternative to liquidating the airline.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne also addressed the employees along with Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union along with General Secretary David Massiah.

The discussions centered around LIAT staff members and creditors taking a 50% reduction in liabilities due to them.

Suggestions for duty waivers, entrepreneurship funding, land leasing for agricultural purposes among others are on the table.

Prime Minister Browne has also discussed his plans for the regional carrier.

Liat employees during union meeting
The ABWU said after deliberation, the workers discussed and arrived at an acceptable severance payout under the prevailing conditions. It is not said what the amount agreed to is.
The Union, following further discussions, will present the positions of the workers coming out of the meeting. These positions should be forwarded to the Prime Minister no later than Friday.

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13 COMMENTS

  1. What about persons who bought ticket….are they considered creditors…if so who would have unilaterally determined a 50% cut on dem beharf?

  2. I would only agree a cut to severance in condition that the employees have continued employment with a successor to LIAT. Otherwise, why give up any severance pay if they remain unemployed?

  4. A 30 % cut in your severance? What is on the table in return? The Union agreed to this pay cut in their members severances.There has to be more to this story.Are only those LIAT workers in Antigua giving a part of their severances 30% back to LIAT.

  6. BLACK-MAN, what is YOUR plan? Hmmmm, just as I thought. Just another one of those who can never come up with a solution to a problem but are ever quick to find a problem to every solution. Typical.

  7. @ANON: Antigua News Room made some changes to the story above.Since I responded to the story.ANR went back and made changes.Because in the original story.There were no comments by Max Hurst.That picture above was not in the story.

  8. Can the Prime Mister of a minority share holder government make binding decisions for LIAT?
    When you say the employees will gain shares, what you mean?
    What about the other creditors? Aircraft owners. Fuel suppliers. And the like?
    What’s this land leasing about? Leasing land for Agriculture isn’t likely to be a huge revenue generator.

  9. How you are ‘valued’…30% yesterday, 50% today, maybe 75% discount in severance tomorrow?
    How real is any of this without other Liat shareholders making a united collective severance payment agreement approved by the liquidators and/or their respective governments?

  10. Sorry, but the only way I would accept a 50% cut in severance is if I’m guaranteed my old job back at the same salary. If LIAT 2020 comes to fruition it will have to be significantly scaled down in respect to both staff and salaries. So to ask persons to give up 50% of their severance to begin with is a tough pill to swallow.

  11. Most of what the Prime Minister is saying is completely premature. First, we need to know whether the shareholders will take the decision that LIAT will be liquidated. Second, if LIAT is not liquidated and the government of Antigua and Barbuda is given the option to take over and reorganize LIAT, then the Prime Minister can start to talk and show us his plan for LIAT. The way Mottley and Gonsalves have outmaneuverd our Prime Minister so far, I wish him well going forward since I like many other people do not wish to see the end of LIAT.

  12. I, Kenneth Lords, have suggested to Liat Airlines CEO Mrs. Julia Jones and Gaston Browne to allow me reorganize Liat, myself, for that was/is still is my expertise, reorganizing hundreds of bankrupt companies, (one former billion dollar company that was in bankruptcy for 6 years, that I had them out of bankruptcy court in 60 days, fully profitable in 90 days. Then I could bring in offers from some of my long time investor friends to either to liquidate Liat’s entire debt or fund a management buyout, taking Liat private with possibly new planes, equipment, etc., to help create a whole new impressive Liat Airlines for the world to see. My offer profession was/if Venture Catalyst for 50 years, so I know who has plenty funds to invest!

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