End of day 4: Still no confirmation on whether ATS workers will return to work

As we head into the 5th day of the Air Terminal Services workers’ lockout, there is still no confirmation on whether they will return to work as their representatives, ATS Employees Trust have now said that they will not sign the letters and give it to the management. 

Secretary of the ATS Employees Trust or ATSET, Vili Finau says the trustees met purported ATS Chairman Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum last night in order to discuss and resolve the impasse.

Finau says that after discussing Sayed-Khaiyum’s proposal, the workers have demanded that they return to work without condition and without prejudice to their hours of work and salaries.

He says they are also calling for the lock‑out to be lifted and all staff return to work effective immediately.

Finau says that they have reminded Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and confirmed that the 200 ATS workers are not on strike.

He says they have been locked out and are waiting at the gate to return to work.

Finau also says that Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum is failing in his duties as the purported Chairman to resolve the impasse immediately.

ATS Chairman Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says he had spoken to the striking workers that they can come back if they sign the letters saying that they had made a mistake when they left their workstations during working hours to attend a shareholders meeting on Saturday and they also give the management the right to take disciplinary action if they may wish to do so.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the ball is in the court of the ATS Employees Trust and the Federated Airlines Staff Association as the ATS board and management is ready to take the workers back if they sign their letters.

He says they need the signed letters from the striking workers as ATS would not want to have another walkout.

Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum also says it is encouraging to see that more than 400 ATS workers continue to come to work to ensure that the airport services continue.

ATS has a total workforce of 640 and about 200 workers are still outside the premises.

Minister for Employment Jone Usamate says negotiations between the striking ATS workers and the management is continuing in the presence of the Chief Mediator, however, no resolution has been reached.