ALPA feels George Abela not acting as mediator, but as representative of Air Malta’s shareholders

The Airline Pilots Association does not feel that President Emeritus George Abela has been acting as a mediator, but rather that he is representing Air Malta’s shareholders, Association President Dominic Azzopardi told The

Malta Independent yesterday. “During meetings, he would always sit on Air Malta’s side. He also never requested a meeting with us on our own, and would respond on behalf of Air Malta during meetings. In addition, he was the one who told asked us - how many of us are ready to work abroad? He was also the one who said that there could be people who would be made redundant.”

“During one of the meetings, George Abela said: ‘It is against my advice that Air Malta met with you prior to a business plan being in place.”

Contacted for his comment about the situation regarding the negotiations, Dr Abela immediately made clear he did not wish to comment, as soon as the negotiations were mentioned.

The President Emeritus once said that he will not be a mediator, but rather a facilitator, who facilitates the meetings between the unions and Air Malta management while keeping the bigger picture in mind. Air Malta Chairwoman Maria Micallef, however, in an opinion piece, wrote that the discussions with ALPA are being mediated by Dr Abela.

Yesterday, ALPA and Air Malta held a meeting, but no progress was made. Dr Abela was not present at that meeting.

Air Malta and the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) met yesterday morning, in an attempt to resume discussions and find common ground.

The meeting was agreed upon after Air Malta filed a court injunction against the pilots’ association in an attempt to stop the pilots from taking further industrial action. Talks regarding a new collective agreement – given that the last one expired more than six months ago – have not seen much progress made.

Asked whether the pilots would still intend to hold industrial action if the injunction in court is not upheld, he said that we would have to wait till the court case concludes. Captain Azzopardi explained that Air Malta did not budge from their original position, adding that Air Malta said they needed more time. He also said Air Malta didn’t attempt to come with any counter proposals or anything of the sort. They also did not provide the Pilots with any new information.

In a statement, ALPA said that in spite of the impression Air Malta gave that it would be making concrete proposals to unblock the situation, Air Malta representatives went for the meeting with nothing in hand,

The association said the main issue is not the pilots’ salary. The main issue, contrary to what Air Malta is saying, is that pilots do not lose their job or have their working conditions changed to their detriment and that of their passengers’ security.

ALPA said it cannot accept that jobs are lost; neither will it accept that, when the airline is sold, pilots are subjected to conditions that are to their detriment and have a negative impact on the safety of passengers.

ALPA recalled that the overall salaries of Air Malta pilots were reduced substantially in the past years because the carrier reduced the number of airplanes. At the same time, the management continued to receive exorbitant salaries that, in some case, reach €200,000.

Pilots have a right to protect themselves, ALPA said, and they will be doing this when the matter is debated in court on Friday.

Air Malta is worried that industrial action could potentially affect negotiations with Alitalia, leading to the filing of a court injunction which was provisionally upheld.

While in court last week, Mr Justice Silvio Meli warned both parties of the potential dire consequences of an escalation of the disagreement. Lawyer Aaron Galea Cavallazzi, who appeared for the airline, had told the courts that that Air Malta’s negotiations with Alitalia must be concluded by the end of October for the national airline to keep operating.

Alitalia is attempting to purchase a 49% share in Malta’s national airline, which has been financially struggling. ALPA and Air Malta are also expected to report to the court during the next sitting on 29 July.

According to media reports, the Air Malta pilots want their salaries to match those of other pilots within the Etihad Group. Etihad owns a share of Alitalia.

Money is not the primary concern of Air Malta pilots in the collective agreement discussions, lawyer Edward Gatt, representing the pilots, previously said. He explained that redundancy issues are the main worry of the association. He also spoke of the reduction in times that the pilots are currently flying, adding that such issues need to be clarified. “We want these issues addressed now.”

ALPA had also said that pilots were hurt that Air Malta tried to paint them in a bad light, as though they are workers who only want to work 50 hours a month. “This is absolutely not true. Pilots want to work, and if they are not working enough that is purely because of other decisions taken by Air Malta, such as the reduction in the fleet.”

In spite of the impression Air Malta gave that it would be making concrete proposals to unblock the situation, Air Malta representatives went for the meeting with nothing in hand