Air India restores recognition of banned staff union

Mumbai : Air India (AI) has decided to again recognise the Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) that it banned last May following a strike.
The state-owned carrier took the decision last month, but elected office bearers of the union are protesting, alleging the management issued the letter granting recognition to an employee who is not a full-time staffer.
The ACEU was derecognised after the airline’s ground staff and cabin crew went on strike on May 26 last year, two days after the Mangalore air crash. The union challenged the airline’s decision in the Delhi High Court. On August 16, the airline’s lawyer told the court about the airline’s decision to recognise the union, said J B Kadian, ACEU’s general secretary.
“One day prior to the hearing, the airline’s executive director (industrial relations), Vineeta Bhandari, issued the letter granting recognition. The letter was addressed to Arun Kumar Malhotra, general secretary, ACEU,” Kadian said.
“Malhotra went on deputation to the central government a few years ago and he does not receive his salary from the airline. The management is playing games. It misrepresented before the high court. We are taking legal opinion on the issue, and will bring this to the attention of the court. Malhotra is not even a member of the ACEU,” Kadian said.
25/08/11 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

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Categories: Air India Aug 2011