Dum Dum airport faces 48-hr shutdown

Kolkata: Two days before the state goes to the polls, Kolkata airport faces the prospect of a complete shutdown as the CITU-backed Airport Authority Employees Union (AAEU) has decided on a 48-hour strike starting from the midnight of April 29.
“Around 2,000 people cast their votes and 1,400 voted in favour of the strike while the others voted against it. But we are all united in this,” said CITU leader Swapan Gupta.
If the Union goes ahead with the strike as planned, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata will be the worst affected, as CITU’s writ runs large here perhaps the reason why the Left Front government is shying away from invoking the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).
Members of AAEU alleged that around 4,500 employees in Delhi and Mumbai had been identified as surplus after the privatisation of these airports. “They have been asked to take voluntary retirement or get a transfer to any other airport that is still under AAI,” said an AAEU member, adding they have asked the management to let people complete their full term. “If not, we can go on an indefinite strike,” he said.
With all cleaning, electricity and other maintenance staff taking part in the strike, there would be dirty toilets and terminal buildings, power supply could be sabotaged and air conditioning systems may not work.
29/04/09 Express India

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Categories: Airports Apr 2009