Ten Pilots Lose Jobs In Sky Bahamas Overhaul

Ten Sky Bahamas pilots and several temporary workers have been terminated as the airline overhauls operations to fight for survival.

The terminations are being challenged by the pilot’s union that has announced plans to file a trade dispute for unfair dismissal.

Randy Butler, chief executive, confirmed that the company is in the midst of a critical restructuring that will affect all areas of the airline, adding that the decision was a forced reaction to the recent actions taken by pilots last weekend.

The airline was left scrambling to find alternative measures to accommodate scores of passengers when 12 pilots did not report to work on Saturday, October 12.

Yesterday, Mr Butler said they offered the pilots an opportunity to be furloughed, a practice that places workers on temporary leave as a result of economic conditions at the company.

However, Mr Butler said all unionized pilots opted for severance packages.

“The guys are quality people,” he said, “it’s unfortunate they made the decision that they did. Things were already bad, that sick-out was done with no regard for other employees. We had to adjust operations to ensure quality service. It was an ill-thought out, ill-advised decision.”

“We’ve had to reduce operations completely,” he said. “We’re not going to shut down, but what we’re facing is survival. So we have to restructure in these tough times, we are trying to work out the details with our staff and in all areas be creative.”

Yesterday, Bahamas Pilot’s Alliance president Mark Johnson accused the airline of “union busting”, pointing out that the terminations were an intimidation tactic to bully members.

He maintained that the number of pilots reporting sick was a coincidence and not organized by the union. He added that all 10 pilots had relevant documentation to support their absence.

Mr. Johnson questioned why the airline hired two new pilots after the terminations. He said the union will demand severance packages for the dismissed pilots.

Mr. Johnson said: “It’s quite obvious that they’re using intimidation tactics to try and bully members. All 10 pilots had doctor’s notes, it seems like [industrial action] but it was merely a coincidence, it just looked that way. I can only tell you the facts.”

Mr. Butler said the company lost more than $123,000 due to the incident that he believes was orchestrated by the BPA.

He added that the “sick out”, occurring over the National Heroes Day holiday weekend, had deprived Sky Bahamas of critical income at what is the slowest point in the tourist/travel industry season.

“We’re flying routes with two or three persons on it right now,” Mr Butler said. “That sick-out really crippled us.”

The matter has uprooted an outstanding contract proposal made by the BPA to Sky Bahamas in June, of which Mr Butler accused the union of trying to “strong arm” management into granting requests that are unrealistic.

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