AI Sacks 58 Staffers; Unions Threaten Another Stir

New Delhi: In an unprecedented action, the Air India on Thursday sacked another 41 employees taking the total number of staffers whose services have been terminated for going on an “illegal” strike to 58 even as it de-recognised two unions which led the stir.

The national carrier has also suspended 24 others, including 15 engineers, so far, Airline sources said. The 58 staffers who have been sacked include all office-bearers of the Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) and All India Aircraft Engineers Association (AIAEA).

Furious over such tough action, the unions have accused the AI management of resorting to unfair practices. They have threatened to go back on yet another strike from June 12. They have, reportedly, sent a notice to the AI management, apprising them of their intention to strike work.

Since last night, the airline management has been busy sending termination and suspension notices and locking up the offices of the two unions all over the country, they said, adding that caveats have been moved in some courts to prevent any ex-parte decision if the unions challenge the step.

Adopting a tough stand, the management has issued notices to end recognition to the two unions which led the two-day strike that disrupted flights in the aftermath of the Mangalore air crash, one of the major disasters that struck the national carrier.

However, the Labour and Employment Ministry has maintained that the suspension and termination of services of Air India employees would not be applicable when the conciliation process at the level of Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC) was going on, a Ministry source said.

ACEU General Secretary JB Kadiyan had also said last evening that the CLC has given in writing that no party can resort to any unilateral action like this, when the conciliation process was underway.

The Unions had gone on a flash strike protesting against a ‘gag order’ on members for talking to the media after Saturday’s air crash in Mangalore and ‘delay’ in payment of salaries. The management, however, clarified there is only one general circular and that there was no ‘gag order”.

The strike was called off yesterday after the Delhi High Court restrained the agitating employees from continuing the stir and the government talked tough giving a free hand to the management to deal with them.

Though Air India has taken measures in the past to quell unrest, this is the first time that such a large number of employees have been sacked.

In 1974, the office bearers of the Indian Pilots Guild, S S Nadkarni, D S Mathur and H S Hirani were sacked by Air India, under the chairmanship of J R D Tata, over introduction of the ‘slip system’ and abolishing of the bases in London and New York.

Introduction of the slip system required that the cockpit crew would operate to New York and back after necessary rest periods at London and New York, instead of being based at both the places.

But they were taken back in the airline after nearly four years and Mathur subsequently took over as Managing Director in February 1994, former airline officials said.

In the second instance, the Indian Pilots’ Guild went on strike over the SARS issue which snowballed and led to the de-registration of the Guild and sacking of its then General Secretary Capt Sansare.

Another case in India’s civil aviation sector was sacking of the office-bearers of the Air Traffic Control Guild when they went on an indefinite strike. The case went on for several years, with most of them being finally taken back.