MoCA holds meeting with Air India management, pilots

Ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) officials held a meeting with the national carrier Air India’s management along with chairman and managing director (CMD) Rajiv

Ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) officials held a meeting with the national carrier Air India’s management along with chairman and managing director (CMD) Rajiv Bansal and pilots on Wednesday to discuss the financial crises that the airline is facing.

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While pilots agreed to support the airline and its management during the Covid-19 pandemic phase, they insisted on quitting if Air India does not agree to give a percentage cut on gross salary as per individual’s income. Looking at market conditions, the pilots suggested compulsory leave without pay (LWP) on a monthly basis for all employees.

This comes after the pilots, on Monday, had written to Bansal to not give 10% pay cut to category IV employees and suggested giving LWP to every other employee as only few aircraft have been flying due to poor demand.

In a letter to fellow pilots after the meeting, Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) which consists of the airline’s Airbus pilots (narrow body aircraft), and Indian Pilots Guild (PG) that consists of Boeing pilots (wide body aircraft) said, “We informed MoCA to clear our long pending 25% dues immediately and allow pilots to quit Air India with immediate effect.’’

The letter, sent on Thursday night, read, “We also requested the management not to instigate us into any unpleasant agitation at this crucial time. We are only standing by principle with a demand that any pay cut has to be across the board as per market standards for all employees.’

Air India refused to comment.

Air India Employees Union (AIEU), consisting of cabin crew, aircraft engineers, radio officers and flight officers, service engineers was, however, upset with the management on the unilateral decision of the management in dealing with unions representing a single category (pilots) and bypassing other unions which represent all other categories of employees of the company.

“Please be informed that any decision taken with the unions under reference, will not be binding on our recognised union and its vast majority membership,” the union wrote to Bansal on Friday.

The letter further read, “In the event the management continues with such meetings with the said unions under reference, and in our absence discuss/decide or try to impose such decisions on matters involving categories which the Air India Employees Union represent, we reserve our right to resort to any action deemed fit, which may be noted.”