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SriLankan crisis: Pilots lambaste top management for mess
‘How can we sustain operations due to over 70 resignations in one year’
Airline Pilots Guild of Sri Lanka (ALPGSL) yesterday (25) said that the top Sri Lankan Airlines management should take responsibility for the pathetic situation that prevails in the national airline. Alleging that the crux of the matter is that over 70 pilots have quit the airline during the 2022-2023 period, the Guild says many others are expected to resign.
The following is the full text of the statement issued by Capt. Manil Abeyaratne, Secretary – ALPGSL: “We write with reference to the recent statements in Parliament by the Hon. Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation services Nimal Siripala De Silva and other members of Parliament regarding the purported conduct of Pilots of the Airline.
Whilst iterating our commitment and dedication to our beloved Airline, the passengers of the Airline and the country as a whole we wish to state that there has been serious and oftentimes critical issues which have not been addressed by the Management of the Airline resulting in the current catastrophic state of affairs.
The Pilots of the Airline have been left in the lurch as a result of a spate of decisions by the Management of the Airline compelling us to be overworked.The Airline requires at least 330 Pilots to function in full capacity for the designated flights. However, over 70 Pilots have resigned from the Airline during the last year (2022- 2023) with many more resignations pending due to the issues faced by the Pilots.This has resulted in a complete depletion of Pilots.
The severity of the issue was witnessed in the recent incident where there were no Pilots on standby to be assigned to a flight which eventually departed more than 12 hours later than scheduled time of departure.SriLankan Airlines pays one of the lowest wages, well below industry standards to Pilots. Prior to June 2023 the Pilots were paid their salaries at an arbitrary USD [ the contracted currency by which Pilots are remunerated capped at the rate of initially LKR 188 then LKR225 subsequently LKR295 (since December) which was nearly 40% below the rate of the Central Bank. This issue took years of union intervention and discussions to resolve.
During the Covid-19 pandemic the Pilots salaries were approximately lowered by 50 percent.Despite the said “salary cut” the Pilots continued to work helping the Airline generate revenue and most importantly providing our services for critical medical supplies and other essential and urgent requirements for the Country during the crisis.
Today however, despite all other departments in the Airline being given increments and ex-gratia payments(bonuses) the Pilots are yet to receive a substantial part of their contractually due salary package which was in place before the Covid outbreak. These are despite predictions by the Chief Executive Officer of the Airline promising a profit of 50 Million USD this year.
All Pilots of the Airline have educated themselves with private funding and over the years borne the cost of their training at SriLankan Airlines. The cadre of Pilots which should ideally be at 330 now only has approximately 250 as a result of the shortsighted, arbitrary and callous decisions of the management.
It is obvious that we as individuals and professionals focussed on flight safety,cannot be expected to sustain the extra burden on each individual which the Airline now demands as a result of its own folly.The recent issues regarding flights stem from these actions and/or inactions of the Management itself to which the Management have continuously refused to pay heed to.We have as a body at all times raised these concerns repeatedly including by way of litigation due to the attitude of the Management of the Airline.We urge that these matters be brought to the notice and the attention of the general public and all stakeholders of the Airline in order to facilitate the issues raised being addressed and resolved.”
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
