By DENISE MAYCOCK 

Tribune Freeport Reporter 

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMASAIR chairman Tanya Pratt said negotiations are continuing and expressed optimism about reaching an amicable agreement with the airline’s union regarding outsourcing ground handling services to Nassau Flight Services.

“We are still in negotiations, and at the end of the day, we are not doing anything unless everyone is pleased,” she said after Bahamasair made an inaugural visit to Jamaica. “No one is going to be disenfranchised.”

The Airport Airline and Allied Workers Union (AAAWU) has threatened to file for a strike vote over Bahamasair’s decision to outsource ramp service agents to Nassau Flight Services. The union claims the move violates its industrial agreement and alleges that the airline owes significant salary increments to its members.

Ms Pratt noted Nassau Flight Services is the country’s primary ground-handling service provider. While Bahamasair also offers ground handling services, she said the government has mandated a merger of the two operations.

“Both entities,” she said, “are on government subventions, so why not merge? And so, we are still in negotiations and discussions. At the end of the day, we will come to some sort of amicable agreement, and then the transfers will take place.” AAAWU president Jewel Fountain voiced concerns that outsourcing ramp service agents could negatively impact their pension benefits. Bahamasair’s pension fund is over $60 million, while Nassau Flight Services’ fund is only $6 million. The union does not want members disadvantaged by the move.

A meeting was held on July 15 between Bahamasair management and the union to discuss payouts owed to workers being transferred. However, some ramp service agents have since received letters detailing the amounts they would be paid and were required to either sign a form agreeing to the transfer or face redundancy.

Ms Fountain also claimed that Bahamasair had failed to process salary increments for years. She accused management of ignoring the union’s letters request- ing the increments and copies of appraisal forms, alleging that hundreds of thousands of dollars are

owed to staff.

The AAAWU’s last industrial agreement with Bahamasair was submitted to the Ministry of Labour on August 28, 2023.

Currently, 48 Bahamasair ramp service agents stationed in Nassau, Exuma, and San Salvador could be affected by the outsourcing. Nassau Flight Services, a government-owned company, provides aircraft servicing and ramp handling for charter flights and airlines, including British Airways and JetBlue.