BWIA grounds 617 BY JUHEL BROWNE , Trinidad Guardian Some 617 BWIA employees received retrenchment notices yesterday, as the leaders of their four trade unions met with airline executives to discuss labour concessions and the carrier's 2003 business plans. The retrenchment represents about 26 per cent of BWIA's present 2,400-plus staff count, leaving a remaining 1,800 employees. "We just had to do what we had to do," BWIA chief executive officer Conrad Aleong said in a interview yesterday afternoon. He confirmed the retrenchment and said BWIA's future looked "great", but would say little else. BWIA employee services vice president Frank Sampson said the retrenchment will take full effect from March 15 on a "last in, first out" basis. He made the statement yesterday in a letter to the airline's main union, the Aviation, Communication and Allied Workers Union. The BWIA retrenchment occurred on the same day the Ministry of Finance issued a news release stating Government has agreed to the formation of the Aircraft Maintenance Technical Co at Piarco. "This technical centre will be a three-way joint venture among the Government, BWIA West Indies Airways Ltd and a recognised external partner," said the Ministry's release. That external partner was not identified. In a news release issued by e-mail last night, the BWIA corporate communications department said the airline focused on workers at its ramp, maintenance and duty-free operations. BWIA said: "Part of the maintenance department, and the entire ramp and duty-free operations have been outsourced to independent contractors. "Over the past 24 hours, the airline has been issuing separation notices to 617 employees and has complied with all legal and regulatory requirements." BWIA must begin saving US$1.4 million by Friday in order to continue receiving disbursements from a US$13.5 million State loan. Last November, the BWIA executive was unable to attain US$300,000 in voluntary labour concessions, but said it would be willing to negotiate a deal with the unions. "The projected savings had nothing to do with concessions," said Jagdeo Jagroop, president of the Communication, Transport and General Workers Trade Union. "What they told us this morning is that it really had nothing to do with concessions and they estimate by the third quarter in 2003, they will be saving US$1.5 million per month, excluding employee concessions," said the trade unionist. Jagroop, who expects to receive his retrenchment notice this morning, said Aleong stated the staff cuts will save BWIA US$8 million. Jagroop and the leaders of ACAWU, the Superintendents Association and the Trinidad and Tobago Airline Pilots Association held a news conference at the SWWTU Hall in Port-of-Spain after meeting with the BWIA management at 2 pm. At the time, they did not know how many BWIA employees were being retrenched and called the dismissals a deceitful move. ACAWU president Christopher Abraham called for Aleong's dismissal. "They are trying to absolve themselves from their lack of competence in dealing with the problem," said Aleong of the airline's unions. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@escape.ca Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Site of the Week: www.pichemas.com TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************