AI employees’ strike concludes; 15 employees fired

AI employees’ strike concludes; 15 employees fired

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 26: The Air India (AI) employees’ strike has been called off after two days of inconvenience to thousands of passengers. The carrier has also sacked 15 of its employees; and only the AI Board of Directors can decide whether they can be re-employed. AI officials reveal that more employees might be fired. 

The strike was called off following a Delhi High Court order to bring the strike to an end immediately. The court also imposed a stay on the strike planned by the AI from May 31. The AI Union says that a consensus has been reached and that the staff will be back to work as usual. 

The National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL) had filed a petition in the Delhi High Court, complaining against the employees’ strike. If the employees refused to call off the strike, they would have been held guilty of contempt of court. Before approaching the Delhi High Court, the AI management had filed a petition at the Mumbai High Court, which refused to pass any order.

Unions have revealed that 20,000 engineers and ground staff were on strike. AI officials revealed that 130 flights had to be cancelled because of the strike, which commenced on Tuesday. AI has incurred a loss of Rs 10 crore because of this flash strike, which affected the travel schedule of 13,000 passengers. 

The AI management, which was engaged in heated discussion throughout the day, received the support of the top levels in government to take stern action against rebellious employees. Sources reveal that Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee spoke to Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and advised him to take stern action by dismissing union leaders, who had called for the strike.