ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Chairman of the Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA) Captain Michael Blackburn has sought legal counsel following his sacking from regional carrier LIAT yesterday.
The usually outspoken senior pilot would only confirm for The Daily OBSERVER that he had been fired, declining to disclose the reasons the carrier outlined in its letter.
LIAT too is staying mum on the development with Corporate Communications Manager Desmond Brown saying the airline does not engage in “public discussion” of its decision to terminate employees and did not intend to make an exception in this case.
It did however advise in a brief press release that LIAT had terminated “the employment relationship with Captain Michael Blackburn with effect from Monday December 05, 2011.” It said no further public statements would be issued at this time.
Chairman of the consortium of regional trade unions representing LIAT employees Senator Chester Humphrey told this newspaper he understood the termination is directly linked to comments Blackburn made on OBSERVER Radio.
He said, “We certainly are deeply disturbed by this development. I don’t have all the facts but a termination of one’s service, especially one who would have served as long as Blackburn is not something to be taken lightly.”
Senator Humphrey stressed that the dismissal is also “of grave concern” since the briefing he received yesterday indicated that it appears the captain was punished for speaking in his capacity as a trade union leader.
“I am in the process of trying to understand precisely what happened,” he said and assured that Blackburn would receive empathy and solidarity from all trade unions within the LIAT system.
As LIALPA chairman, Blackburn has been at loggerheads with LIAT’s management on several issues over the years. He recently incensed the airline’s top brass when he said on OBSERVER Radio’s Big Issues programme that LIAT was less safe now than in the past when its flight operations department had fewer managers.
At that time LIAT hierarchy questioned the pilot’s agenda, said his behaviour was under review and appropriate action would be considered once all the facts were put together.
Blackburn has also been highly critical of what he considers to be a top-heavy and ever-expanding management structure, even as LIAT seeks to cut costs by severing employees at the lower levels.
He has also been vociferous in calls for a financial audit of the carrier, which he has accused of mismanaging pension funds for pilots.
Efforts to reach other executive members of LIALPA for comment were unsuccessful.
Well,it’s obvious that they(LIAT) management had to try and keep him quiet.Management better have a great excuse for the dismissal. Blackburn is right in that LIAT has more chiefs than indians. LIAT is a small regional carrier that for some reason cannot make a dollar. Following in BWIA’s footsteps? It needs to be taken over by a group who actually know something about running an airline, Caribbean Airlines perhaps?
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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Good riddance . No airline company should ever allow one of its pilot to undermine the public confidence in the company. His behavior is inappropriate and it is unbelievable that pilots who depend on the public trust can sit back and condone this type of behavior.
A long overdue decision.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Cap Michael, do not back down, do not let them intimidate you.
They make the big bucks at the expense of you and public safety.
Flying around the small Islands is dangerous and I’m sure not too profitable for you Pilots. Keep hitting them, where it hurts, in the publick’s eye. God’s Blessings to you.
I lost my daugther in Air Plane crash, because of the Colgan Air Lines greed.
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These pilots don’t realize how much harm they are doing. Can you imagine coming here on vacation, and having to stay on additional time because some ** pilots are throwing a tantrum like little children? Imagine you’ve saved up all year for your 7 day vacation in Antigua, only to have to spend that time in Puerto Rico, because every employee of the Antiguan based airline called in sick?
The people who have been GREATLY inconvenienced by this will tell every friend, family member and anyone who will listen, about the awful experience they had with Antigua.
We wanted to get more exposure throughout the tourism sector? This will do it. If we want to get even more exposure, we’ll need to incarcerate some more tourists for not letting themselves get ripped off by a taxi driver, or maybe execute some more honeymooners.
But don’t worry, over then next few months, lots of people around the world will hear about how a friend or loved one’s vacation was ruined by the pilots of an Antiguan airline refusing to come to work.
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Employers cannot take action against an employee who publicly slanders the company he works for?
They are supposed to allow an employee to chat ***t about the company, and then just sit back and take it. You’ve got to be kidding.
If he had issues with safety protocol, what steps did he take prior to going public? Memos to the management? Directives to the ground crew?
If LIAT really were unsafe as he alleged, why have I never once heard of one crashing. LIAT doesn’t have the luxury of the large airlines, where the plane takes off, and then 3, 7, or even 14 hours, they land again. These planes take the most unimaginable beating, by taking off and landing dozens of times per week. Thousands of flights per year, and I’ve never heard of a catastrophe.
I think the ground crew of LIAT deserve a BIG UP, for the amazing work they do. And I think Blackburn needs to go find work for a company who enjoys having it’s employees publicly slander them. Good luck.
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