SIA pilots to go on compulsory leave

Singapore - Pilots at SIA are to go on a compulsory one day leave after talks concluded with the company and the pilots association.

SIA has been in discussions with the Air Line Pilots Association of Singapore (Alpa-S) over the number of no-pay leave days pilots should take in a month. The carrier previously said it wanted its captains and first officers to take three and four days off respectively, but was met with opposition from the Alpa-S which argued that managers and executives in the other departments were only asked to take a single day off a month, either from their annual leave or as no-pay leave.

President of the Alpa-S P James said it was lobbying for SIA to put its pilots "on the same scheme as other managers and ground staff, but this has been rejected... We have no issues with taking one day off a month. Anything more than that, we should negotiate the terms".

The two parties have agreed to one day of compulsory no-pay leave for pilots for the month of May after talks concluded with the Ministry of Manpower.

"This is an interim measure to provide both parties more time for discussions on the number of compulsory no-pay leave days required to match headcount to operational requirements," SIA said in a statement.

Senior management staff of Singapore Airlines have adopted a shorter work month from 1 April 2009. The same scheme will apply to all other managers from 1 May 2009.