Airport employees go on strike

Chennai: Employees in 126 airports around the country went on strike on Tuesday demanding improved overtime rates and pension schemes.
In Chennai, more than 700 people protested outside the Airport Authority of India (AAI) offices in the airport complex. The nation-wide strike was organised by the Airports Authority Employees’ Union.
L. George, its branch secretary, said the AAEU had made repeatedly conveyed the demands to the AAI. It decided to go on strike as “no genuine effort was made” by the AAI.
The AAEU threatened “severe industrial action including closure of all AAI airports,” if it did not receive adequate response after Tuesday’s strike, according to a letter dated February 4 addressed to AAI Chairman K. Ramalingam. “We will decide on our course of action after we hear from the AAI,” Mr. George said. “We are expecting a response tomorrow.”
Among the AAEU’s demands are filling of vacancies, appointments on compassionate grounds and promotional avenues for staff. “We’re mainly asking for improved welfare,” Mr. George said. “A pension scheme formulated in 1995 has still not been implemented.”
13/02/08 The Hindu

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Categories: airports Feb 2008