LIAT: Major shareholders to discuss airlines’ future

The leaders of Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Antigua and Barbuda – the three main shareholder governments of the Leeward Islands Air Transport (LIAT) will be meeting today at Hilton Barbados to chart the way forward for financially-troubled airline.

But the union representing the airline’s staff has denounced the closed-door session as a “symbolic charade”.

Chester Humphrey, chairman of the regional grouping of trade unions representing LIAT’s workers, said he had the highest respect for the office of prime minister but charged that the unions were being disrespected by management of the airline.

“The unions are prepared for a partnership but that partnership must have a duality of respect.