ST JAMES, Jamaica — The People’s National Party (PNP) has once again criticised the government for not taking “necessary action” to prevent strike action of workers of essential services, and are calling on them to urgently resolve the issue now developing with air traffic controllers (ATCs) who walked off the job Thursday morning.

The island’s air traffic controllers are on strike over concerns about a reclassification exercise.

READ: Air traffic controllers walk off the job

Confirming the strike, Minister with responsibility for Information Robert Morgan had initially said Jamaica’s airspace was not closed.

However, at least one airport — Sangster International Airport — later confirmed that flights were cancelled for the rest of the day.

In a statement on Thursday, Tourism Senator Janice Allen called on the Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett to lead the charge on behalf of the industry.

“The ATCs make up a critical sector in the tourism industry and we can’t do without them. Whatever the matters are they must be addressed with urgency,” Allen said.

According to the senator, tourists had to scramble to leave Jamaica Thursday morning.

She said the tourism industry, trying to recover from the pandemic, cannot now afford any further disruptions.

“This government has consistently shown a lack of regard for workers, but the industry cannot survive without the workers as the big companies alone cannot do it,” she said.

She added that there was no way Jamaica could add new flights and have more hotel construction if workers, who provide essential services, are not trained and their welfare issues taken care of.

Meanwhile, Opposition Spokesman on Transport, Mikael Phillips said the strike action and the disruption of Jamaica’s air services were preventable, had the government acted on several warnings over the past week.

“Consequently, the Ministries of Finance and Transport must take full responsibility for the closure of the island’s air space and the massive economic and security fallout which will inevitably occur,” Phillips said.

He claims there had been loud rumblings and that there was enough time to hear and settle the issues of concern to the air traffic controllers.

The Member of Parliament said that while the government forges ahead with its compensation reforms, it is becoming increasingly evident that at all levels of the public sector, workers have either not been adequately consulted or are simply being left in the dark.

Phillips called on the Government to immediately convene a conciliatory meeting to ensure a quick return to normalcy.