Air Malta cabin crew approve collective agreement with overwhelming vote

Air Malta cabin crew have this evening overwhelmingly approved new work conditions that also include a pay rise over five years as the airline seeks to close agreements with the four unions by year's end.

A sticking point during the negotiations with the cabin crew union was the airline's insistence to fly its aircraft with four cabin crew rather than five. 

Talks with the unions at Air Malta have been taking place over the past few months as government seeks to reform the airline and turn it into a profit-making company.

The Union of Cabin Crew took the agreement to its members and in a secret vote this evening, 168 voted in favour and 68 against. The result gives the union the green light to sign the collective agreement, making it the second to do so after the Association of Airline Engineers last week.

In a tweet this evening, Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi said he was "very pleased with the big vote in favour" of the collective agreement by Air Malta cabin crew.

He also thanked the airline's negotiating team led by former president George Abela and expressed optimism the airline will have "a bright future".

The government wants all four agreements in place by 31 December.

An agreement with the General Workers' Union is believed to be a mere formality and is expected to be signed in the coming days. However, there is resistance among the airline's pilots, who are sceptical of the new working conditions being offered to them.

A reform process mandated by the European Commission came to a close last year but despite millions of euros in subsidies the airline failed to return a profit. Under EU rules no more subsidies can be pumped the airline's way.