ALPA, the union representing Air Malta pilots, has given notice of suspension of service to the Director of Employment and Industrial Relations.
Informed sources said that the notice was handed to the director this morning and refers to suspension of service on Saturday.
Air Malta pilots last week authorised ALPA to take industrial action if demands it is making to the company are not met. The union is protesting over airline plans to dismiss as many as 57 pilots as part of the restructuring exercise. In all, the airline has said it will shed 511 workers.
The sources said the notice of suspension of service was a reaction to a judicial protest by Air Malta yesterday, which said that no industrial dispute had been declared.
ALPA has said last Saturday it will decide tomorrow whether to strike on Saturday. It will also hold a demonstration in Valletta on Friday.
Strike action, may, however, be averted if progress is made tomorrow at a meeting which union officials are to hold with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Finance Minister Tonio Fenech.
"The pilots expect quick solution to issues which are destroying the airline," a union spokesman said.
"We want to save the company in the interests of the country and the workers, but we also expect others to do their bit," the spokesman said.
The union feels that issues which need to be dealt with immediately include MIA fees charged to Air Malta, fees for the carriage of cargo and the revision of other contracts for services rendered to the airline. The pilots would also like to see a revision of contracts with tour operators.
"If all parties do their bit, ticket prices would go down for everyone and Air Malta would be more competitive," the spokesman said.
"This can be done without any workers losing their job," he added.
The spokesman confirmed that termination notices have already been issued by Air Malta to 13 pilots - 12 of whom had been engaged on temporary contracy. The other had been with the company for 10 years.
On Saturday, Union president Dominic Azzopardi said the Air Malta management had not yet formally told the union how many pilots were to be made to redundant.