Air India unions seeks labour dept's 'urgent' intervention

A joint forum of Air India unions on Friday sought the labour department's 'urgent' intervention and initiation of conciliation proceedings in the matter of their passage policy and service conditions.

On December 24, the forum comprising IPG, ACEU, AIEU and AICCA, in its demand notice to Air India managing director and chief executive officer Campbell Wilson, had protested against the changes in their service conditions.

Tata Group took control of the then government-led Air India in January this year.

The forum has protested the unilateral changes in the service conditions of their members, terming it as 'violation' of the Industrial Dispute Act and of various court orders.

Prior to this, the airline's Airbus fleet pilots' body Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) had also sought initiation of similar conciliation proceedings from the Chief Labour Commissioner in the national capital.

"We request you to urgently direct Air India to maintain the status quo and request you to initiate conciliation proceedings urgently," Air India Joint Action Forum (AIJF) said in its letter to deputy chief labour commissioner and region labour Commissioner of Mumbai.

The forum has sought the labour department's urgent intervention to ensure status quo respect of Air India passage and medical benefits and rules, as per the letter.

"…we apprehend that Air India will alter our service conditions with respect to passage and medical benefits to the prejudice of thousands of employees and their families and violated provisions of awards, agreements and standing orders and regulations, without following the procedure as laid down in the Industrial Disputes Act, and in violation of Section 9A of the Industrial Disputes Act," the forum said.

It also said that "there are matters pending before the RLC (Regional Labour Commissioner) in respect of pilots and the CGIT-2 and CGIT-1 (Central Government Industrial Tribunal-1) in respect of Air India employees, and thus any change of service conditions during the pendency of the same, is a violation of Industrial law".