(Trinidad Express) State carrier Caribbean Airlines has closed a Kingston, Jamaica, subsidiary company which employed 75 pilots operating Air Jamaica aircraft out of that country.
But the airline has said it will offer new contracts to the pilots following the closure of Caribal Ltd, the subsidiary of CAL which was the employment company for the pilots in Jamaica.
Caribal was responsible for the recruitment processes of the airline in Jamaica.
In a statement from its Piarco head office late on Thursday, CAL said it informed the Jamaican Airline Pilots Association and the pilot body of its intention to offer contracts of employment with CAL.
“The employment of the pilots to CAL will see the company using a transparent process to ensure a smooth and seamless transition. All benefits remain unchanged,” CAL said.
Following a news conference at the Transport Ministry in Port of Spain, Transport Minister Devant Maharaj yesterday dismissed as “erroneous” a report in the Jamaican press that the 75 Air Jamaica pilots would be dismissed.
CAL acting chief executive Robert Corbie said yesterday the pilots will be offered contracts under CAL, but it was too early to tell if all 75 would apply for the jobs.
