BWIA broke By Curtis Rampersad Express 04.02.03 NATIONAL airline BWIA does not have the money to pay hundreds of retrenched workers their separation packages and may not be able to pay current employees salaries at the end of this month. Following a meeting yesterday between the unions representing BWIA's 1,800 employees and airline management, BWIA admitted it had a cash shortage. BWIA retrenched 617 workers on January 28. They were expected to receive about $53 million in severance benefits by March 15 but, as of yesterday, had not got money from the airline. This comes on the heels of a new cost-cutting plan BWIA is developing to take to the government for financial assistance. A letter from BWIA's new vice president, Employee Service, Hugh Henderson to the unions confirmed that the airline had no money at present for upcoming salaries and severance. Further possible retrenchment and salary cuts of between five per cent to 25 per cent are aspects of BWIA's new plan. Sources close to airline management disclosed yesterday that if the airline were to cut some of its flights and were able to return one of its leased aircraft, retrenchment of pilots and flight attendants would be one of the options considered. Corporate communications director Clint Williams said the cost of separation was allocated in BWIA's budget. But, "when you have a cash shortage, you need to keep cash to pay bills such as fuel and landing fees to keep the airline running and to make money to pay severance", he told the Express. An allocation did not mean funds were available, Williams said. "BWIA's cash position right now does not make cash available to make severance payments," he added. About 50 retrenched workers complained noisily outside BWIA's Piarco headquarters yesterday. They kept up a chant of "Aleong must go" (referring to BWIA CEO Conrad Aleong) and "We want we money". But after a one-hour meeting between the unions and management, Christopher Abraham, president of the Aviation, Communication and Allied Workers Union (ACAWU) said the company told the unions it did not have the money to pay severance. Former workers are complaining that they can't pay their bills and are under pressure from their banks and creditors. Williams said the airline would help affected former employees and where necessary would appeal to financial institutions to give retrenched workers a temporary break on payments as it moved to pay them severance benefits. In the meantime, BWIA will attempt to pay retrenched workers half a month's salary in two weeks. The company hopes to complete its cost-cutting plan today so it can meet with the government on the question of financial aid. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Site of the Week:http://www.ttsailing.org/ TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************