CAA protests: Aviation minister invites unions’ heads for talks

KARACHI: The federal government has decided to hold talks with the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) officers and employees unions who are protesting against the outsourcing of airports, ARY News reported on Friday.

Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique invited the heads of the CAA unions for holding talks on the issue of airports’ outsourcing.

The heads of the protesting CAA unions will hold a round of talks with Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique in Lahore on July 30.

The unions have been informed by the CAA headquarters and the heads were instructed to bring written recommendations and concerns in the upcoming session.

READ: Govt to outsource Islamabad airport before end of tenure

The CAA employees’ unions will be represented by Samiullah, Azizullah Memon, Ayaz Butt, Ashraf Waheed and others in the upcoming talks.

The CAA officers and employees unions launched a protest movement against the federal government’s decision to outsource airports in phases. The CAA employees have also threaten to shut down all operations.

On July 19, CAA employees had staged protests against the outsourcing of airports and wore black bands. Against the outsourcing of airports, the CAA employees staged protests in several airports including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Sukkur, Gilgit, Rahim Yar Khan and Skardu.

READ: Govt initiates outsourcing of three airports, ECC told

The workers raised slogans and posed banners and placards against the outsourcing of the airports. The protests were jointly attended by the CAA employees and officers’ unions. The unions also announced to approach the court against the move.

Moreover, the CAA unions unveiled a schedule for the next series of protests at different airports. The civil aviation authority workers will hold a protest on August 1 at the Islamabad airport, August 8 at the Lahore airport and August 17 at the Karachi airport in which they will also organise a rally.

Later on July 25, a protest was staged at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport by the CAA’s union and officer association. The officer association expressed that outsourcing airports is dangerous for national security and defence.