JOIN USFlash strike hits Air India flights
The spark was management’s gag order advising union leaders not to air their grievances to the media, failing which it would take stern action. Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) members decided to go on strike after the order.
A section of the ground employees affiliated to ACEU walked out of their assigned duty stations demanding immediate withdrawal of what they called ‘Taliban-style’ diktats, delay in payment of salaries and the problems of cabin crew.
The unions have threatened to continue the strike on Wednesday as well, despite the management’s declaration that AI Chairman and Managing Director Arvind Jadhav will meet the union leaders in Delhi on Wednesday afternoon.
The airline said in a statement that it was able to operate 116 out of 123 scheduled flights on its domestic network till 2.30 pm.
There were four cancellations, some flights were delayed or combined. But the situation worsened by the evening.
The unions belonging to the international wing of Air India have not gone on strike on the issue so far.
The AI, while appealing to its employees to resume duty immediately, extended an unqualified apology to the passengers who faced or may be facing inconveniences due to the dislocated operations.
The ACEU claims representation of 12,000 members of the erstwhile Indian Airlines, including ground-handling and technical staff and cabin crew.
The union had served a strike notice on the management and the chief labour commissioner on May 15 against Air India’s decision to defer salary payments for the month of May by one week.
However that notice had called for a strike from May 31.
ACEU is part of the Civil Aviation Joint Action Front (CAJAF), a joint platform of 11 recognised trade unions in National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL), which operates Air India and Air India Express.
DH News Service