A group of 45 former Air Terminal Services employees are crying foul after they weren’t taken back to work following a government directive to do so.
They claim they have been left out because they had surpassed 55 years and are being discriminated on age by the company.
“Retirement age in ATS is 65 years, however, there are some still in employment who are well into their late 60s and early 70s,” said one of the former employees, Salendra Singh.
“We feel that we have been betrayed.”
The workers says they were forced to retire at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Some of us were given gratuity payment when we were terminated, not a severance or redundancy payment as per the Collective Agreement,” he added.
“The Government had given a clear cut directive to reinstate all workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They did not categorise the reinstatement of all employees.
“Management has continued to recruit new workers with little or no experience over the experienced workers who are still waiting to be reinstated.”
Mr Singh said those who had not been re-instated were facing financial difficulty.
“It is now over 10 months and counting for us who are waiting anxiously to return to work and begin earning again for their families. Many have had to resort to their life savings to keep their families going.
“We are suffering both financially, emotionally and living a declining quality of life. Our situation is desperate. “It is also sad to note that whilst waiting to be reinstated, five of these employees have passed on.”
ATS Human Resources manager Davendra Prasad informed Mr Singh via a letter on December 20 that the ATS Board had discussed their plight at a meeting on November 29.
“Those employees who have taken voluntary early retirement and retirement in or around June 2020 may be considered for employment if there is a need by the company. However, you may also apply for vacant position that match your skills and experience at the time vacancies are advertised,” he stated.
“If you do not hear from the Company by 30 December 2023, please kindly note that you were not considered for any role hence the matter will be put to an end.”
Questions sent to ATS chairperson Shradha Sharma last Friday and Saturday remain unanswered when this edition went to press.
