AI pilots' bodies allege unilateral changes in service conditions

New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) Pilots' bodies have written to the Air India management on the issues surrounding 'unilateral changes in service conditions and policies', alleging that unilateral violations of their rights and service agreements are creating industrial unrest and shattering employee confidence.

In a letter addressed to Air India's chief human resources officer, Suresh Dutt Tripathi, Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) and Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) have urged him to take immediate action in initiating talks to find a mutually beneficial solution that will benefit both the company and its employees.

The pilots' bodies have alleged that at the beginning of the transition period, it was understandable that the management required some time to understand the ground reality to chart solutions for existing and anticipated problems.

"But still, we are being fed the same noncommittal, biding-for-time excuses while rapid and regressive changes are being introduced unilaterally in our service/working conditions through organisational announcements and policies. The recent crew connect online event, like most of these interaction sessions, was a sham," said the letter written on March 28.

On March 22, an 'organisational announcement' was emailed to individual pilots announcing a forcible capping of privilege leave accumulation to 60 days as well as liquidation of any additional leave over and above. "For good measure, a new leave policy will be aannounced soon," the letter said.

Pilots' associations have said that leave quota, accumulation and encashment cannot be unilaterally changed by the management in the name of organisational announcement or policy with such nonchalance.

"No change can be made to our existing bilaterally-agreed service conditions without issuing a notice u/s 9A of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, and following the procedure specified there under," they said.

Pilots' bodies said that they have appealed on ethical grounds to follow the letter and spirit of the law and engage unions actively as is being done in other Tata companies.

"That appeal is clearly not working. It is our duty to inform you that all these unilateral violations of our rights and service agreements are creating industrial unrest and shattering employee confidence in the current management," they said.