Air India pressures its staff to join new joint venture company

Thiruvananthapuram: Air India's plan of shifting around 120 of its Air India Air Transport Services Ltd (ATATSL) staff to a ground-handling joint venture with Singapore Airport Terminal Services (AI-SATS) has met with stiff opposition at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. The staff has been told to join the new venture, or else.
On October 31, top bosses of the unprofitable national carrier landed in Thiruvananthapuram to speak to the Air India Air Transport Services Ltd workforce and cajole them into resigning their current jobs and join the AI-SATS. "The management called a surprise meeting at 10.30 am at the domestic terminal conference hall and said we stand to lose our jobs if we do not comply with their decision, we will stand our ground as the matter is pending in the labour Court," said an ATATSL Union member.
According to sources at Air India, ATATSL continues to handle the Ground Services Department of Emirates Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Silk Air, Tiger Airways and Etihad Airways, only because they operate machinery and AI-SATS has not bought new equipment. However, manning the counters of the above mentioned airlines were asked to be handed over to the AI-SATS and only Tiger airways continues to be looked after by Air India Air Transport Services Ltd.
01/11/11 Sangeetha Nair/Times of India

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Categories: Air India Nov 2011