Good Faith Must Prevail In Federated Airline Staff Association, Air Terminal Services (ATS)Matter: Usamate

The Ministry highlights that it is important to have productive and ongoing relationships between employers, employees and unions.

The Ministry highlights that it is important to have productive and ongoing relationships between employers, employees and unions. In an employment relationship the duty of good faith is mutual – both parties owe a duty to each other. It is more than just following the latter of the law.

In any employment environment it is important that good faith prevails at all times when parties deal with each other – employers, unions and employees, says Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Jone Usamate. Commenting on recent reports that a secret ballot for strike was undertaken by the Federated Airline Staff Association (FASA) against Air Terminal Services (ATS), the minister stresses that both parties should act in good faith as stipulated in the law as the parties had reached an Agreement which should be the basis on which parties move forward on matters affecting them.

“The Ministry will continue to encourage the parties to dialogue in good faith to reach an amicable solution and understanding. When relationships are based on bad faith, it’s not easy to break through pressures and issues that come up and will result in either party doing things that may not be within the ambit of the law,” Minister Usamate said.

“This is evident in the conducting of the secret ballot by FASA this week which was not according to law and that any strike will be unlawful.”

The Ministry highlights that it is important to have productive and ongoing relationships between employers, employees and unions. “Productive employment relationships depend on people working together in good faith and we will continue to advocate this especially in the matter regarding FASA and ATS,” Minister Usamate said.

In an employment relationship the duty of good faith is mutual – both parties owe a duty to each other.

It is more than just following the latter of the law.

It involves treating others fairly, using common sense through acting honestly, openly, and without hidden motives, raising issues in a fair and timely way, working constructively and positively together to raise concerns or issues and responding to it as soon as possible and keeping an open mind, listening to each other as well as treating each other with respect.