Having tasted success,
Air India (AI) unions now want the government to review and undo all the decisions that they claim caused the current mess at the airline. They also want the government to pay for its mistakes, asserting that the employees of the organisation did not contribute towards the mess.
The government on Friday issued marching orders to former AI chairman and managing director (CMD) Arvind Jadhav, who was branded "anti employee" following a sustained campaign by the unions, which were bolstered by the Opposition parties raising the issue. It brought in senior IAS officer
Rohit Nandan to nurse the airline back to health.
PM promises salaries for Air India staff "Once the government has started providing money, it means that it accepts its mistakes. Now it has to pay for it and take over all the liabilities of Air India. Employees are not responsible for buying so many excess aircraft or handing over profitable routes to foreign and domestic airlines," said a union leader asking not to be identified. The unions assert that the airline's debt of over Rs 44,000 crore is the government's responsibility as the airline's present precarious financial position is a direct result of several decisions taken by the civil aviation ministry. They pointed out that two parliamentary committees have already dwelled upon this fact, clearly stating that the employees were not responsible.
COLUMN |
'AI-IA merger behind all troubles' "There is considerable resentment among the employees against those responsible for bringing about this financial mess upon them due to which loyal and dedicated employees have to return home emptyhanded month after month," Aviation Industry Employees' Guild, a large union, wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently.
PERSPECTIVE:
Why govt's Rs 1,200 cr is only partial breather for AI Now that Jadhav has gone, the unions want immediate change in the functioning of the management. "The human touch that was lacking during Jadhav's tenure has to come back. The coterie he created has to go and so do several retired officers whom he had brought in," said a union leader. "No retired person should be brought in," he added.
Unions want reversal of the government's ground handling policy that would bring back Air India's monopoly in the area, and consequently
revenues. They want Air India's internal resources to be fully tapped and bring in synergy in equipment handling. The unions are of the opinion that the government must operate the national carrier as an essential service to meet the country's needs like any other public sector undertaking or essential department.
Courtesy: Mail Today
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