Air India excludes two unions from talks

Mumbai: In an indication that it will stand by its Thursday decision to derecognize two labour unions, National Aviation Co. of India Ltd, or Nacil, which operates Air India, will meet all its labour unions on 1 June, except the All India Air Engineers Association(AIAEA) and Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU), said two senior executives at the airline. Air India has a total of 13 unions, including AIAEA and ACEU, which have been derecognized.
The executives said Air India chairman and managing director Arvind Jadhav is firm in his decision to crack down against striking employees.
The airline will also likely stick to its decision of dismissing 58 executives and suspending another 26, all of who went on a flash strike on 26 May, resulting in the cancellation of 138 flights and revenue loss of at least Rs10 crore.
AIAEA general secretary Y.V. Raju on Thursday had served a fresh notice to Air India, saying 700 union members would strike work starting 12 June to demand withdrawal of the derecognition order as well as reinstatement of the sacked employees.
ACEU’s general secretary J.B. Kadian had served another notice nearly two weeks ago for industrial action starting 31 May, demanding wage renegotiations.
In an SMS response, Jadhav said he would have to stick to his decision.
However, AIAEA’s Raju said his union members are also standing firm. “We are now holding emergency general body (meetings) across the regions,” he said.
In the midst of the stand-off, though, there was relief for fliers as the airline resumed normal schedule of operations across the entire network with total passenger bookings on the domestic flights crossing 32,000.
28/05/10 P.R. Sanjai/Live Mint

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Categories: NACIL May 2010