Air India pilots 10-day-long strike news

06 May 2011
For nearly sixty years since it took to the skies as government property, it has been hung out to dry, or as some would say these days, given India's fiercely competitive aviation market, hung out to die.

Air India pilots have called off their 10-day-long strike after the airline management agreed to reinstate the terminated pilots and revoke the derecognition of the pilots' union, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA). Failed Merger The merger itself has been a half-baked operation, completed in areas such as higher levels of management, common fuel distribution and accounting, but neglected in key sections such as the mapping of HR and salary issues, says the study. The main grouse of the striking pilots was pay disparity with colleagues. Conflict Issues One of the main demands of the striking pilots was compensation of 75 'fixed flying hours allowance', which their erstwhile Air India colleagues used to get. The ICPA is demanding salaries at par with a higher-paid group of pilots in the airline. While ICPA members are paid largely for the hours they fly, others enjoy a fixed salary

Over 800 pilots, owing allegiance to the Indian Commercial Pilots Association, including those from the erstwhile Indian Airlines, as also executive pilots will report back to work from 10 pm tonight, Capt A S Bhinder, president of the pilots' association said after the conclusion of 5 hour of talks with civil aviation officials in New Delhi. Method they adopted to solve the problem The government has agreed to reinstate sacked and suspended pilots, restore recognition to their union and look into the alleged irregularities at the airline, the issue of pay parity, the main reason for the strike, will be taken up after the Dharmadhikari Committee submits its report by November. While calling off the strike, the pilots said they have put faith in the government. "Government has given us assurances that they will look into all our demands, including our complaints of irregularities against the airline management," Bhinder said. ICPA has also been demanding the withdrawal of the contempt of court petition filed by Air India management against some of its members and a CBI probe into the alleged corruption and mismanagement. On their demand for removal of AI CMD Arvind Jadhav, Bhinder said, "Our answer to this is that Government has agreed to look into all the irregularities". Civil aviation minister Vayalar Ravi also expressed happiness over the pilots

ending their stir. "Their is no ill feeling and there will be no feeling of vengeance," he said. The 10-day strike has caused a loss in excess of Rs150 crore to the airline besides causing inconvenience to thousands of fliers.