Unhappy Air India pilots hint at strike over delayed salaries

In another setback for Air India,the regional pilots union of Air India has said they would stop complete cooperation with the management in lieu of the delay in salaries.

The airline has delayed salary payments of around 11,000 employees for the third month in a row.

In a letter to Central Executive Committee of the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA), the Regional Executive Committee (REC) said the non-cooperation would continue until salary payment is regularised and normal functioning is restored.

This comes as Air India seeks short term loans worth Rs. 1,000 crore to meet its 'working capital requirement'. The national carrier, which recently failed to get even a single bidder for its disinvestment plan, has called for financial bids by June 13 for the tenure of one year.

"In the REC meeting held in Delhi on June 06, Delhi REC unanimously decided that no wages on time amount to financial stress and mental agony, thereby resulting in undue fatigue, which is severely affecting flight safety. With no notification about delayed salary payment, members are being hounded by financial institutions constantly, severely affecting their day to day life. Keeping in view of the above consideration, REC has decided to STOP Complete Co-Operation with the Management till the time salary payment is regularized and normal functioning is restored," the letter read.

The REC further claimed that the airline management has prioritised the interest of its current employees "much below" that of its retired employees, thereby stagnating the moral and career progression of its serving workforce.

On Thursday, Airline Head Quarter staff told to ANI that no communication has been received from the management as to when employees of the national carrier would get their salary for the month of May.
Sources said that the airline has been facing a cash crunch since April, thus causing a delay in sanctioning salaries of the employees.

On a related note, sources also revealed that other employees unions may extend support to the ICPA's movement against salary delay.

Air India air hostess accuses senior airline official of sexual harassment, probe ordered

An Air India air hostess has accused a senior airline official of sexually harassing her for last six years and alleged that the airline management has not acted on her complaint made last September. She took to social media seeking “help” on Tuesday to get the airline to act. Following this, aviation minister Suresh Prabhu tweeted that he has asked AI chairman “to immediately address this issue. If necessary, will appoint another committee.”

In a complaint sent to Prabhu on May 25, the “proud single mother” air hostess claims “a senior executive over last six years has sexually harassed, tortured and discriminated against me…. this senior executive (whose name will be revealed when I meet you) is a predator and has sexually… abused me… and has tried to compel women in his office (including me) to come and drink with him at various bars and many of us have been forced to do so…. He has insulted and denied me positions and privileges after I rejected his advances… he has made my life a misery and work and continues to do so.

Sadly the AI women’s cell did nothing… During the mockery of inquiry… the lady chairperson of the committee had to temerity to respond ‘you know how he talks. He has even flirted with me like this so many times’.

In any other company, this offending officer would either have been suspended or transferred out. Yet in AI, through his old boys’ club, (he) has continued to serve in the same office,” she says in her letter to Prabhu, marked also to Prime Minister Modi, while seeking a meeting with the minister.
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