(Trinidad Express) More than 50 Air Jamaica employees have been let go from the airline.
At the end of April, the workers’ positions became redundant because of the planned merger with State carrier Caribbean Airlines (CAL).
Laura Asbjornsen, head of Corporate Com- munications at CAL, told the Express yesterday the downsizing was a major step towards the formation of one company.
“After any merger or acquisition, you will be harmonising your companies, which is what transpired. It was 54 people who were employed across the organisation who were let go, and not just people from one department,” Asbjornsen said.
“We know that the deal is going to go through even though there has been a two-week delay; in the meantime, we have to operationally conduct our affairs and put things in place in moving towards one entity.”
Senior employees, including Sue Rosen, former head of Commercial Support for the airline, were among those who were not retained.
A story in the Jamaica Gleaner yesterday said the majority of customer service staff at the airline have had their positions downgraded to part-time while others, whose contracts have expired, have been given a two-month contract.
