New Delhi: Air India’s management and a warring pilot union hardened their stand this week in the run-up to a strike called by the latter on 9 March.
The debt-laden state-owned airline has delayed salaries for February, the seventh month in a row (these are usually disbursed on the last day of every month) even as its pilots union issued another notice calling for non-cooperation with an airline commander who is supposed to be close to the airline management on Tuesday.
The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA), which comprises pilots of Indian Airlines is seeking wage parity with the pilots of Air-India into which the former was merged. Indian Airlines pilots flew largely to domestic destinations and erstwhile Air-India’s pilots used to fly exclusively to international destinations.
ICPA has asked all its pilots not to fly with Air India’s commander Sandeep Marwah, also an officer on special duty to Air India chairman Arvind Jadhav, according to a 1 March letter reviewed by Mint. The union has 800 members.
The letter and the hardenening of the union’s stance came a day after salaries for February were meant to be paid. An Air India spokesperson downplayed the delay and said salaries have been delayed every month for the past seven months. “This is nothing new. We will try to disburse at the earliest possible.”
The spokesperson added that the union has been advised not to strike work and the airline has sought an immediate intervention of chief labour commissioner (CLC). He declined comment on the letter against Marwah.
While the spokesperson said he was hopeful that an “amicable solution” would be reached, two Air India executives who did not want to be identified said a strike is imminent.
02/03/11 Tarun Shukla/Live Mint
To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline
0 comments:
Post a Comment