AIR Terminal Services (Fiji) Ltd workers involved in an impasse with the company remain unfazed despite not being paid for the past fortnight.

With the impasse entering the 22nd day today, workers are steadfast in their belief that it was time to stand up for what they were owed.

The workers were last paid on December 20, four days after the impasse started, but they did not receive their fortnightly pay on Wednesday as scheduled.

For Yvonne Fong, life is a bit tougher with her husband disagreeing with her decision not to return to work.

“My family hasn’t said much about it, just my husband and I know where he’s coming from,” she said.

“It’s because of the bill commitments.”

But like many others, Ms Fong has decided to take a stand, claiming that for more than a decade, the workers’ fight for an increment had fallen on deaf ears.

She is a permanent part-time (PPT) worker, which by her account means she is not recognised by the company despite having worked there for 10 years.

“We are not recognised as permanent part-time workers. We queried about an increment with the HR department and were informed that we weren’t recognised by the company.

“It’s demoralising. I have three kids and we have bill commitments but it’s time to take a stand.”

Similar sentiments were expressed by another permanent part-time worker, Sarah Lockington.

Ms Lockington, a single mother to a 13-year-old girl, is a passenger service agent.

“For masters, when you reach the 10-year mark, you get certificates and you get long service leave,” she said.

“But when we reached a decade of work, we didn’t even get recognition for our service, not even a letter of acknowledgement.

“We deserve some sort of long service something, but we don’t even get a letter.

“It’s like we work here, but we don’t exist.”

Another PPT worker, Mereoni Radinivugalei, said the starting rate was $3.76.

She has been with the company for more than one year.

“I have to work overtime to be able to get at least a decent income after deductions,” she said.

“After working overtime and all deductions, then I can get at least $300-$400 pay. Imagine if I didn’t work overtime. I’d be left with almost nothing.

Ms Lockington said PPT workers worked 40-70 hours a fortnight, but they did similar, if not, the same job as masters or permanent workers who worked 80 hours a fortnight. They are required to work hour shifts in a day amounting to 20 hours in a week, or 40 hours in a fortnight.

To get more money, the workers need to work overtime.

ATS acting CEO Hare Mani said their only objective was to get the employees back to work.

“Our main issue is to get the people back in,” he said.

“That’s the bottom line.

“They need to sign the letters.

“We are trying to get them back and we don’t want any entity to complicate that.”

He added the company’s human resources manager would be releasing an official statement on the matter later.