Air India meeting leaves employees disgruntled

Employee unions say it is meaningless to discuss safety measures when the airline does not even have adequate funds to pay the staff their salaries

Air India meeting leaves employees disgruntled

Employee unions say it is meaningless to discuss safety measures when the airline does not even have adequate funds to pay the staff their salaries

What was meant to be a meeting to resolve the ongoing cold war between Air India management and its employees over issues plaguing the national carrier ended up in another dead end, with employee unions terming the marathon meeting "meaningless".

Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav invited top people from all the 14 unions of the national carrier to attend the meeting at Airline House in New Delhi on June 27 to discuss ways to bring the airline back on track.

One of the top union leaders, who participated in the meeting, said, "Initially, we were very happy, thinking that finally the CMD is taking our views in consideration for a revival of the airline, but his actual motive was something else.

"In the six-and-a-half-hour meeting, which started at 4 pm and ended at 10.30 pm, the CMD spoke at
length on different issues, including the salary and safety of employees.

"But his actual agenda was exposed when he stressed that the airline needed funds for paying an equity infusion of Rs 6,600 crore by July 2 or else it will have to be shut down.

"He also justified the non-payment of salaries by saying, 'the airline does not have any money so the delay in salaries is obvious. And if funds do not reach the airline in time, the employees might not get salary for the next three months'".

Another union leader agreed as he said, "When the airline is not even in a position to pay our salaries, talking about safety and security is meaningless."

MiD DAY had carried a story ('Unpaid Air India pilots put your lives at risk', June 22) showing how non-payment of salaries was causing financial and mental distress to Air India crew pilots and distracting them during flights.

PM's intervention
But with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promising to resolve the issues plaguing Air India during a meeting with the press recently, the national carrier is expecting the gloomy situation to improve soon.

"We will resolve the issues surrounding Air India.
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I will request Pranab Mukherjee (who heads the Group of Ministers on AI's turnaround) to take expeditious decisions in the matter," he told the editors of various newspapers on Wednesday.

The Other Side
Speaking to MiD DAY, Kamaljit Rattan, Chief Information Officer of Air India, said, "The CMD addressed all the concerns and discussed ways to turn the airline around during the meeting.

Necessary issues such as cost cutting were discussed. In the past two days, the top management has met banks officials and a group of ministers.

"We have asked for equity infusion. The union government is also convinced of the same. At this point in time, I can only say that we are heading towards a decision to solve all the problems and bring the airline on track."
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However, Rattan denied reports that Air India may not be able to pay salary to its employees for the next three months.

Pauper Maharaja
>Air India employs more than 42,000 people and commands a fleet of more than 100 aircraft
>The airline has incurred a cumulative loss of over Rs 13,300 crore since its merger with Indian Airlines in 2007
>Air India owes Rs 2,000 crore to oil companies
>Air India owes Rs 1,500 crore to four airports

Rs 6,600 crore
The amount Air India needs for equity infusion by July 3

Rs 13,300 crore
Cumulative loss Air India incurred since its merger with Indian Airlinesu00a0