AI to set up internal panel to address privatisation-related issues of employees: Source

Debt-ridden Air India has been asked to set up an internal panel of representatives of the management and labour unions to address issues related to the privatisation of the national air carrier.

This was conveyed by Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to members of the Air India unions who met him here to seek clarity on the payment of their dues and arrears in the wake of the government’s plans to privatise the airline.

The minister is learnt to have conveyed to the unions that the details about the payment of dues to the employees will be spelt out in the Expression of Interest (EoI) document the government plans to issue as part of the disinvestment process.

Besides the minister, Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola, Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani and airline's Director for Personnel Amrita Sharan attended the meeting with the union representatives.

Puri also assured the employees, mainly the pilots that the government was committed to full payment of their dues in the face of the privatisation.

Earlier this month, a group of ministers headed by Home Minister Amit Shah approved the draft EoI and Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) for the disinvestment of Air India.