BWIA workers accept cuts By Curtis Rampersad T'dad Express 06.14.03 BWIA employees have agreed to accept benefit cuts to help save the cash-strapped national carrier, the trade union representing the majority of airline workers has said. Christopher Abraham, president of the Aviation, Communications and Allied Workers Union (Acawu), said yesterday the employees had voted to accept a reduction of their benefits. This followed a meeting between unions and about 200 BWIA staff members at Piarco on Thursday night. At the end of the meeting which finished well after 8 p.m., workers agreed to the move. Abraham told the Express yesterday that the employees did not agree to salary cuts but to reductions in their benefits. He would not give details but said the unions were considering a "wide area" of benefits. Benefits include staff travel and other allowances. Abraham said the union would have a package ready by Monday. BWIA's top managers have agreed to between ten per cent and 15 per cent salary cuts starting July 1. They previously took five per cent cuts last September. Government has promised the airline $116.8 million in financial aid if it reduces its operating expenses per seat mile by 20 per cent. *************************************************** 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/ Mas Site: www.tntisland.com/tntrecords/mas2003/ Site of the Week: http://www.carib-link.net/naparima/naps.html TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************