§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps are being taken by the Civil Aviation Authority to minimise inconvenience to passengers as a result of disruption caused by air traffic controllers; and what reasons have been given for the decision to strike.
§ Mr. EyreThe degree of disruption caused by the strike varies depending on which units are affected, and on how many staff are absent, but in all cases the authority is providing the fullest service it can with those staff who report for work, consistent with the maintenance of safety standards.
The CAA central trade union side informed the authority last week that its proposed action was in support of the pay campaign being organised by the Council of Civil Service Unions on the ground that as its pay was directly linked to Civil Service pay these issues directly affected it.
§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Trade what procedures exist for determining the pay of air traffic controllers.
§ Mr. EyreThe pay of air traffic controllers, and other employees of the Civil Aviation Authority, is a matter for negotiation between the management of the authority and representatives of its employees.
When the authority was set up in 1971 most of its employees transferred from Government service and many of the employees are still represented by Civil Service unions. A contract between the authority management and its employees provided for the use of grades and salary scales comparable to those in the Civil Service. The effect is that in general Civil Aviation Authority pay awards follow those received by the Civil Service. This situation could be changed by agreement between the authority and its employees.