JOIN USAI chief sends SMS to union leaders
“U (you) will have to communicate with media and your members that the employees are prepared to give their best and also doing their level best. I hope I have your cooperation,” Jadhav told the union leaders through a mobile text message while seeking their support. The state-owned airline has around 26,000 employees.
“Tough times are ahead, though we have been able to improve our revenues and hold on to the costs, the rising interest burden, the repayment on aircraft and the rising fuel bill are putting a lot of strain on the company’s finances,” Jadhav said.
“We have also the challenges of integration, modernisation (and) facing competition. What is now required by us is face the challenges united(ly),” he said in the SMS. Union leaders, who requested anonymity, said “strangely enough, it was Jadhav himself who had issued a gag order in May this year warning the employees not to air their grievances in public or face action. Now he is requesting the unions to put across his point to the media”.
The alleged ‘gag order’ was issued during a flash strike by Air India employees, days after the May 22 Mangalore plane crash.
“At that time, he had not only terminated the services of 58 employees but also suspended another 24, besides withdrawing recognition to the two largest unions in the company,” the union leaders said. The Air Corporation Employees Union and All India Aircraft Engineers
Association were later de-recognised.
Air India reported a net loss of Rs 55 billion in 2009-10 as the airline was not able to capitalise on higher load factors due to an increase in depreciation and interest charges.