AirMalta workers should be treated in a just way

Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party said that the reduction of workers at AirMalta should be done in a just way which balances financial sustainability, workers rights’ and the strategic importance of the airline.

Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson and spokesperson for the Economy and Finance, said: “Air Malta has been used as a Father Christmas by successive Nationalist and Labour governments through the dishing out of jobs for votes. Even when Air Malta had a positive balance sheet its profit was mostly a result of a monopolistic situation and price fixing. After the RJs saga, the Azzurra Air adventure, the appointments of Directors based on party affiliation rather than competence, the hike in fuel prices and the encouragement of low cost airlines without proper consideration of their impacts, the present state of Air Malta was inevitable. The way the Maltese government has funded routes mostly serviced by low-cost carriers has also been detrimental to AirMalta, even though this brought in an influx of tourists to Malta”.

“AD wonders why it took so long to see the writing on the wall. AD calls on government to accept political responsibility for the present state of affairs”.

Michael Briguglio concluded: “It is of utmost importance that all workers know their situation as soon as possible; and if vacancies exist in productive employment, workers laid off by the company should be absorbed by the public sector. Alternatively they should be employed in the private sector. Failing that, early retirement schemes should be used”.