Diminished Severance for Liat Workers is an Insult and Violation of their Rights

The Browne Administration’s latest attempt to impose on the workers of LIAT 1974 Ltd a significantly reduced severance settlement of 32% is a stark betrayal of its proclaimed commitment to workers as a so-called “labour” government.

If this Government truly valued the contribution of LIAT workers to the country and to regional aviation it would have ensured that at the very least, Antiguan workers receive 100% of their severance. 

Instead, they have failed to take leadership in this matter and have disgracefully abandoned their own citizens. Meanwhile, the Government of Barbados – the largest LIAT shareholder – began making its final payments to their workers in 2024, and the St. Lucian Government has also satisfied their workers’ right to severance. 

While the Gaston Browne Administration continues to insist that full severance is more than it can afford, its financial dealings with other entities tell a different story. Over the years, millions of dollars in concessions and incentives have been senselessly given away to entities that have provided little to no substantial impact on national development.

These actions highlight a troubling inconsistency: why prioritize handouts to external entities while marginalizing hardworking Antiguans and Barbudans who have contributed so much to the development of our country and the region? This is not right!

Furthermore, the value of severance owed to these workers has already been eroded by the devastating effects of inflation over the past five years.

To then impose a further reduction to 32% is nothing short of an insult. It is a heartless and unconscionable act that reflects a soulless Government’s disregard for the sacrifices and struggles of the affected workers. Can you imagine, whereas the Government should have been paying an annual interest on the outstanding sum to compensate for inflation it has sought to further disadvantage the workers with a diminished offer that is anything but compassionate.

Equally disturbing is the Browne Administration’s blatant disregard for the legally recognized Bargaining Agent representing the workers in this matter. By bypassing and undermining the union’s role, the Government is setting a dangerous precedent for employers across the country. What message does it send when the Government itself, which should champion labour rights, actively works to weaken the foundation of collective bargaining? Such actions erode trust and undermine the very principles of fairness and respect for workers’ rights.

The Government’s mishandling of this situation has also created unnecessary confusion and inequity. For those workers who previously accepted the 50% offer, which included cash, bonds, and land, what will their status now be?

Have all obligations under that agreement been fulfilled or will these workers face a reduction to 32%? The possibility of two separate classes of severance—50% for some and 32% for others—raises serious questions about fairness and equity. Such disparity is unacceptable in a nation that claims to uphold justice for all.

Regrettably, though unsurprisingly, the Browne Administration’s propensity towards upholding injustice is already evident in LIAT 2020. Reports indicate that staff transitioning from the former airline are being subjected to wages well below industry standards, with some earning as little as half of their previous salaries.

These workers have endured a double injustice under an administration that shows a blatant disregard for their welfare. We call on the Government to release for public scrutiny the full details of its agreement with Air Peace. This call is especially urgent given the administration’s troubling track record of entangling the nation in lopsided agreements with private entities.

To be clear, we are grateful for LIAT’s return to the skies and recognize the airline’s critical role in regional connectivity. However, this does not absolve the Government, as a shareholder, of its moral and legal obligation to treat workers fairly and to honour their right to severance. We remind the Browne Administration that a fair and reasonable severance settlement must be rooted in genuine dialogue with the workers and their representatives.

We further wish to underscore that the workers’ right to representation is enshrined in our local laws and protected by the International Labour Organisation Convention No. 98 of 1949, which asserts the workers’ Right to Organise and to Collective Bargaining. Attempting to engage workers directly and ignore their legally recognised representative is unacceptable! 

Finally, we call on the Browne Administration to immediately revisit its actions and demonstrate true leadership by addressing this matter in a manner that honours its international obligations to respect labour rights. The dignity of LIAT’s former workers and the principles of justice demand nothing less.