Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

A strike yesterday by unionised staff at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay resulted in a degrading of the security status at the facility.

The airport was reduced from a category nine facility to a category eight, and at least one Virgin Atlantic flight from London had to be diverted to Kingston.

"Some planes were landing at their own risk," union delegate employed to MBJ Airports Limited's, Nicolas Fagbola, told The Gleaner.

The 180 placard-bearing staff represented by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Union of Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Personnel (UTASP) staged a peaceful demonstration outside the airport after talks broke down with management yesterday morning.

Traffic issues

A number of passengers were forced to pull their bags from the roundabout as traffic came to a halt leading into the facilities, and it is estimated that the busy car park, which makes an average of $250,000 daily, did no business because the gates were padlocked.

"After several months of negotiations management is unwilling to meet our demand in years one and two, which is for a 10 per cent increase in salaries and allowances," UTASP's general secretary St. Patrice Ennis disclosed.

"These are difficult negotiations between the company and staff and we are still ready to negotiate," read a statement from Fernando Bosque, CEO of MBJ Airports Limited.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com