From today's GDN. It must be true.
All pilots to keep their jobs
GULF Air Trade Union officials have welcomed an announcement from the airline that it will not lay off pilots of any nationality as part of its restructuring plans.
A statement from chairman-designate Mahmood Al Kooheji said the decision also applied to stewardesses and engineers working at the airline's headquarters in Muharraq or other branches abroad.
He also said that members of the board had agreed to eliminate inequalities in the salaries and bonuses of pilots and to train Bahrainis who used to fly the Boeing 767s to pilot the Airbus jets.
Trade union vice-chairman Khalid Al Aradi, who met with Mr Al Kooheji yesterday to discuss a number of issues, said the news would come as a relief to many of the airline's workers.
"It is our national carrier and we should take care of it," he said.
"We do not want to lose our professional people."
Mr Al Aradi said the airline had also agreed to hold periodical meetings between the union and Gulf Air president and chief executive Andre Dose to discuss issues that may not have been resolved.
He told the GDN that airline officials have agreed that a union representative should be present at various grievances committees, to be set up on a temporary or permanent basis.
The GDN reported on Monday that more than 900 Gulf Air workers had applied for jobs at other regional airlines.
Sources also said more than 500 have already been offered work with several airlines, including Qatar, Emirates and Etihad Airways.
It seems GF is already panicking. So where will the 1500 (or 2400 according to an internal GF source) layoffs come from then?