Safety in good hands, Micah says

 By MARGARET TALINGAPUA

THE resignation of Air Niugini pilots over a 20 per cent cut in their salary will not affect the safety of travellers, Minister for State Enterprises Ben Micah, says.

Micah was responding to questions raised in Parliament yesterday by Chuave MP Wera Mori on a report that up to 50 pilots had walked off their jobs after declining to sign a new contract.

The salary cut was part of a new contract the pilots have to sign, and to be effective from Jan 1. It is part of the airline company’s plan to cut back on costs and improve efficiency.

“Air Niugini has had a good track record in its 60 years of service in the country and the resignation of these pilots will not compromise safety of the travelling public,” he said.

He told Parliament that the package for Air Niugini pilots after the salary cut was still “competitive”.

“Out of the 50 pilots who resigned, five are nationals and the rest are expatriates who live outside the country or elsewhere and come to work,” he said.

He said Air Niugini wanted to do away with the practice of paying their salaries from the time they left their homes to the time they clocked off.

“Salaries should be paid according to the starting time of work which in their case would be the time they start flying and not when they leave their home in Cairns or Sydney to come to work,” Micah said.

He said he held meetings with the Air Niugini management this week and was confident the company had carefully managed the situation.