NEW DELHI: Amid brewing tension between Air India pilot unions and Tata Group-run management over the revised salary structure, the two pilot unions at the airline warned the management of going to “any extent” to protect their members.
On April 17, Air India rolled out a revamped salary structure for its pilots and cabin crew, which has since been rejected by two unions -- Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) and Indian Pilots Guild (IPG). “It has been resolved by the IPG and ICPA if any member/s of our union/s is/are terminated by the management for not signing the revised terms and conditions, the ICPA and IPG have pledged in unison to go to any extent to protect member/s till they are reinstated,” a joint ICPA-IPG resolution stated.
Facing heat, Air India is likely to hold a town hall meeting on Tuesday to address the concerns of employees. The airline’s CEO Campbell Wilson and other senior executives are expected to attend the Air India town hall. The pilots have also sought Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran’s intervention to resolve the disagreement.
Earlier they had urged their members not to sign on the document, saying the terms and conditions were being imposed on them. They have called the new contract ‘illegal’ and ‘unethical’, and had warned that any coercive steps will lead to “industrial unrest”.