’Labourers’ who earn lakhs a month

Jet management and low-rung staffers want pilots, who make whopping salaries and enjoy perks, to be decategorised from labour class

'Labourers' who earn lakhs a month

Jet management and low-rung staffers want pilots, who make whopping salaries and enjoy perks, to be decategorised from labour class

As the deadlock between Jet Airways pilots and management continued, the airlines took an aggressive stand against its striking employees.

Seemingly at its wits end, the management now plans to turn to the Civil Aviation Ministry with a request u00a0to decategorise pilots from the labour class.
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Interestingly, most Jet staffers u00a0are in support of the airlines' decision.

According to the airlines, a pilot working with Jet earns anywhere between Rs 1.5 lakh to a whopping
Rs 6 lakh a month and enjoys a number of privileges (see box). Hence, he should not be permitted to join a union.

But since the Jet pilots fall in the workman category they are within their rights to form one, go on strike against the company and approach the Labour Commissioner with their grievances.

A disgruntled Jet Airways ground staff member, said, "The pilots are taking advantage of this situation and holding the company to ransom. They are causing inconvenience to the management as well as our customers."
"The labour category is not for employees whose salary is Rs 1 lakh per month, but for those who earn little.

If pilots who earn fat salaries and get other privileges consider themselves as labourers and start forming unions, when will problems of real labourers be solved," added another Jet staffer.

Expert view

Experts from the industry also believe that the union should be dissolved.

"During times of recession when all industries, especially airlines, are struggling to survive, a review on the category of pilots and engineers can come as longtime relief to the aviation industry," said aviation expert Vipul Saxena.

Bone of contention

Jet sacked Captain Sam Thomas and his colleague for forming the National Aviators Guild (NAG), a pilots' union that it wants dissolved

Jet Crisis Over?

The Jet Airways management has reportedly agreed to reinstate the four sacked pilots and flights are likely to resume today.

Ground staff at various airports requested pilots on sick leave to return to work.

Chief labour commissioner S K Mukhopadhyay will facilitate conciliation talks between the management and the striking pilots in New Delhi today.

Pilots & Privileges

> 18 free tickets for family per annum
> Free stay in five-star hotels across the globe
> Luxury cars at hand for conveyance
> License insurance for Rs 20 lakh
> Medical cover at hospitals u00a0across India