More Air Terminal Services employees who walked off their jobs have returned.
ATS says that three more ATS employees returned to work this morning after workers walked off their jobs on Saturday 16 December.
According to the Air Terminal Services a total of 26 employees have now returned.
They have accepted the ATS Chairman’s conditional offer of no termination or victimisation.
On Saturday, 16th December, 2017 approximately Sixty employees of Air Terminal Services suddenly abandoned their work stations without prior notice or informing their immediate supervisors of their intentions.
All 60 of them did not bother to arrange someone else to cover for them in their absence.
When the said employees returned to work, after abandoning their work stations at the time that it was most critical for our service delivery, they were stood down from their work as their actions tantamounted to gross misconduct.
When the “Stood Down” and “Show Cause” letters were issued to them the General Secretary for their Union ordered all the said employees not to accept the letters.
Returning employees are being warmly welcomed by their Colleagues and Managers.
This is contrary to allegations of victimisation in the media made by Union Officials and Politicians.
While there is no victimization there are consequences for misconduct in the way of Returning workers will receive a warning letter.
ATS says that it is now very clear that political parties, the FTUC and the FPSA are using the workers for political gain rather than encouraging the smooth operations at Nadi International Airport.
ATS is calling on those who abandoned their post not to acknowledge their wrong but instead are encouraging and financially supporting the situation.
ATS believes that the number of political figures visiting the site does not help employees acknowledge their wrong doing, bring an amicable remedy to the situation or assure ATS that a similar illegal walk out walk out affecting operations will not reoccur.
The ATS Chairman’s offer is based on the condition that employees acknowledge their unlawful walkout and/or unexplained absence.
Returning employees and management urge other employees on strike to take advantage of this offer and to call the Company if they wish to seek further clarification.