TLI Staff
New Delhi: With no assurance from the management on protecting their service benefits, pilots of sale-bound Air India have decided to call an emergency meeting to discuss further couse of action to secure the interest of members.
Under the banner of Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA), the airmen would chart out plans to get pay revision, health benefits and free passages as guaranteed at the time of joining the company.
“ICPA will be calling for an emergency meeting with all ICPA office bearers and committees to discuss further course of action to protect the interest and rights of its members, payment of illegally withheld 25 per cent dues and other dues,” as per the minutes of the meeting of union leaders with the management.
In their meeting, the management remained non-commital over job security beyond one year from the date of privatization.
“Management informed job guarantee is only for a period of one year from the date of privatization as per DIPAM guidelines and that they are trying to increase it to a period of 1-3 years,” the recordings said.
After failing to disinvest its majority stake last year, the Modi government is this time hell bent to sell the national carrier. Department of Investment and Public Asset Management is in the process of finalising the preliminary information memorandum (PIM) to ensure the first stage of bidding starts by October-end.
A ministerial panel led by Home Minister Amit Shah is set to decide the contours of privatization shortly.
Meanwhile, Air India chairman Ashwani Lohani and other senior members of the management are meeting the union leaders to keep them updated of the progress made on privatization. Unlike on previous occasions, the union leaders are less vocal against privatization and have almost surrendered to it.
In their meeting with the management this week, most unions demanded for third pay revision but the latter informed them that loss-making PSUs are not eligible for the revision.
“Unions informed that third pay revision has been implemented for BSNL employees and the same should be done for Air India employees before privatization,” the unions argued.
The pilots’ union in the meeting enquired as to when will the final status of the issues will be known. Responding to this, the management stated that clarity on all their issues would be known only after sale purchase agreement is signed. The ICPA has demanded to clear all dues immediately and reduce the notice period to one month.
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