by JULIA RAWLINS-BENTHAM

BWIA'S 1 800 EMPLOYEES, about 100 of whom are from Barbados, have until October 31 to voluntarily leave the airline.

And, they have been promised enhanced severance benefits payable on or before December 31, and the uncertainty of their jobs removed, if the process is done without protest or industrial action.

This assurance has come from BWIA's legal/management consultant Dr Shafeek Sultan-Khan, following an announcement on Friday that the airline was closing its doors for the final time on December 31.

It will be replaced by Caribbean Airlines Limited from January 2007.

"... An agreed VSEP (Voluntary Separation from Employment Package) cannot be implemented until the representative trade unions agree. However, to meet this challenge within the timeframe proposed, I can advise that if this process is utilised without any protest or industrial action, the uncertainty of the future of BWIA's employees will not only be removed, but employees will be able to achieve enhanced severance benefits which could be payable on or before December 31," he said.

Sultan-Khan was addressing a meeting with the unions, the Trinidad and Tobago Airline Pilots' Association and airline officials.

Opening date for applications for separation benefits is October 1, or an earlier date agreed on between BWIA and the unions.

"Applications will not be entertained after October 31," he said, adding BWIA employees will have the opportunity to apply for jobs with the new airline.

He said the decision to close the airline had been made, and it could take the form of payment of severance pay according to the law and collective agreements existing between BWIA and representative unions, or incentives of enhanced severance benefits under the VSEP mechanism.

On Friday, the Barbados Workers' Union, local representative for BWIA staff, had not been notified of the closure.

However, the SUNDAY SUN understands that such notification would be addressed to general-secretary Sir Roy Trotman, who is currently out of the island.