Air Malta has filed a judicial protest against the Association of Airline Pilots (ALPA) who is spearheading the impending strike by Air Malta pilots. The airline has warned that if it is grounded because of the strike, it would incur enormous costs and there would be a clear and imminent danger of it having to stop operations.
ALPA will decide by tomorrow whether to go ahead with the strike on Saturday.
Air Malta also argues that the industrial action is not legitimate since the association had not registered an industrial dispute and its claims – made in the media – did not constitute a dispute in terms of the law on industrial relations. Furthermore such claims could not be accepted by the airline, other than that it was already in talks to change contracts for services.
The airline pointed out that it was undergoing restructuring at a time when its survival and the jobs of all its employees were in danger. Should the strike go ahead, this danger would become imminent.
The airline also insisted that it was respecting its obligations in terms of the law.
The airline warned that should it collapse, the consequences would ripple far beyond the company.