New Delhi: The employees guild and engineers association of Air India on Monday demanded that the pilot unions to immediately withdraw their demands on cost-cutting, employee reduction and compulsory leave without pay measures. The development comes after the Pilot Association had sent a letter to the National carrier's chairman and managing director Rajiv Bansal putting their demands.
Demand over cost cutting measures turn into a row between Air India pilots and engineers
After the pilots of Air India, requested to resort to measures to cope with the current situation, the Employees Guild and Engineers Association demanded that the pilots should immediately withdraw their cost-cutting and employee reduction demands.
Withdraw cost-cutting, employee reduction measures: Air India to pilotsWithdraw cost-cutting, employee reduction measures: Air India to pilots
In a joint letter to the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) and Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA), Aviation Industry Employees Guild and All India Engineers Association, said, "Taking a cue from the letter, we suggest that since only 10% of the fleet is operational, hence 80-90% of pilots be sent on compulsory unpaid leave and/or that actual flying allowances to be paid."
They said that they are shocked and surprised to read the letters written by both of you, the ICPA and IPG.
When ETV Bharat contacted the airline, an Air India spokesperson said, "We would not like to comment on the matter as it is their internal issue."
"Wherein to protect your Wages/Emoluments you have suggested various cost-cutting measures including a reduction in employee strength and compulsory leave without pay and percentage cut on total earnings across all categories of employees most of whom are not covered by your Union," they said.
"As the Union representing the highest-paid category of employees in India you should have protected your own interest rather than suggesting unwarranted and unlawful cost-cutting measures affecting employees belonging to our category unions," read the letter.
The letter stated that "we have not authorised both of you (ICPA & IPG) to suggest or give statement on behalf of other categories of employees and therefore you have you have no locus standi to discuss matters pertaining to our members."
Talking further about the issue of 25% amount deduction which the pilot unions have demanded, the letter said, "It is pending for all categories of employees and the matter is in the Supreme Court."
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"It is ridiculous to suggest in today's scenario that on payment of the deducted amount to all your members after which they must be allowed to resign from the company," the employees guild and engineers association said in the joint letter.
The letter said that "in such cases, the notice period is waived off for pilots we would like to see how many will actually put in their resignations.
It is not understood why you have advised the management to take a cue from private Airlines since the Pilots have been the worst sufferers due to actions taken by private airlines," the letter said.
On Wednesday, Ministry of Civil Aviation officials held a meeting with the Air India management along the chairman and managing director (CMD) Rajiv Bansal to discuss the financial crisis that the airline is facing.
However, Air India Employees Union (AIEU) was upset with the meeting between MoCA officials and pilot unions and said that they had no locus standi to give suggestions on other employees.