‘Union misled public over ATC strike threat’

National, Normal

THE PNG Air Services Ltd (PNGASL) management says the Air Traffic Controllers’ Union has misled the public through the media regarding the industrial action notice and the events that unfolded last week.
“Over the last week, false and misleading information had been provided to the media in relation to the threat of strike by the Air Traffic Controllers’ Union,” PNGASL said in a statement.
The statement said the PNGASL under the new managing director, Ted Pakii, was committed to the process of dialogue and resolution and had never for one moment diverted from that commitment.
“The management has gone to great lengths to establish dialogue with open doors and a strike really should be the last resort.
“The union’s action is uncalled for and only establishes a barrier to positive negotiations,” the management said.
“As such it will not  hesitate to take whatever legal recourse that is available to carry out its mandate.
It said that on Oct 16, the media ran a misleading report by the union that it was still waiting for a written assurance from the PNGASL management.
And that on Monday, the media reported inaccurately that the written assurance from the management was delivered hours before the strike lastFriday.
It was understood that the union and the management are working towards resolving the protracted issues that prompted the ATC’s threat to go on strike.