‘Hold plan to level salaries of AI, Indian employees’

Employees from four different departments in Air India have asked the airline management to hold its plan to level salaries of Air India and Indian employees considering the company’s poor financial health.

Employees from four different departments in Air India have asked the airline management to hold its plan to level salaries of Air India and Indian employees considering the company’s poor financial health.

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AIJAF members said that balancing salaries, a part of the Air India-Indian merger process, would burden the loss-making airline by another Rs 1,000 crore.

“Already the airline is going through one of its most difficult times. This move could sink it faster,” said an AIJAF member.

The Air India Joint Action Front (AIJAF) comprising engineers, pilots, officers and technical staff unions sent a letter to chairman Arvind Jadhav on December 7 to discuss the issue.

Hindustan Times has a copy of the letter. The airline spokesperson refused to comment on the matter.

On Thursday, civil aviation minister Praful Patel, asked the Centre for additional equity infusion of Rs 2,000 crore after oil companies threatened to stop supplies to the national carrier over huge pending bills.

Last year the airline got Rs 800 crore and is likely to get another Rs 1,200 crore within a month. After oil PSUs refused credit on purchase the national carrier is spending around Rs 13 crore daily on fuel, said sources. Every Friday it spends around Rs 39 crore for stocking supplies for the weekend. Secondly, it is forced to ground four aircraft because spare parts vendors have partially stopped supplies.

Airport operators and catering companies have also warned to stop services.

The airline management, last month, had circulated a proposal on how disparity in remuneration between the domestic and international carrier would be done. The proposal mentioned the airline’s plan to match the seniority of staff between the two airlines.

For instance, if there is a difference of Rs 2,000 between the basic salaries of an executive director rank employee the airline proposed to consider the higher amount for both. In case of pilots, however, they want to consider the lower amount.