To avert strike, Air India to clear pilots’ dues

New Delhi: In a last-ditch attempt to come to an amicable agreement with pilots, the aviation ministry has decided that Air India should pay them their rightful dues. And once the existing claims are settled to a certain date, fresh wage agreements would be drawn up with them to bring the salaries to current industry levels.
After pilots of erstwhile Indian Airlines threatened to go on strike yet again over non-payment of two months’ flying allowances, aviation secretary M M Nambiar struck a conciliatory note with airline management. He is learnt to have clearly told the management that existing wage agreements must be honoured up to a certain date and then fresh agreements be worked out.
The source said AI is likely to get a loan from State Bank which would enable it to pay the arrears of employees. Pilots of erstwhile Indian Airlines say they have not got their flying allowance that accounts for 70%-80% of their total pay for past two months. While AI had no money to pay them, the much higher paid expats were getting their wages on time and without any cut that was causing much heartburn in the erstwhile IA.
30/10/09 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Air India Domestic Oct 2009, NACIL Oct 2009