PJIAE management says it had to tap into much-needed reserves in order to meet the recent demands Airport workers and having after having hit first by a devastating hurricane Irma and in recent months a Coronavirus crisis.
PJIAE management says the demands of its staff is understandable, noting that during the last three years, certain staff benefits were deferred, with the firm intention and promise to compensate those in 2020.
“Things changed when COVID-19 hit the island. The landscape itself changed and PJIAE was in a very weak position of having no revenues and an uncertain forecast,” said Airport CEO Brian Mingo over the weekend.
Mr. Mingo said, management at the time decided to preserve job security for the permanent staff and also their base salary.
“With the settlement promise made, we needed to find a balance between safeguarding the continuity of the airport, preventing staff lay-offs and the understandable demands of the staff, all of this during these pressing times,” said Mr. Mingo.