Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh warned on Friday that Air India would hire new pilots if the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) did not end its strike soon.
At a meeting with five pilots owing allegiance to the IPG, Mr. Singh made it clear that the strike, if it continued, was likely to impact the payment of wage arrears to all employees by June, as promised by the government. “We can think of hiring new pilots,” he said. Air India Chairman and Managing Director Rohit Nandan joined the 90-minute meeting at the fag end.
The IPG, which has been at loggerheads with the management over its decision to let the erstwhile Indian Airlines pilots undergo training to fly Boeing 787 Dreamliner, is holding consultations with legal experts to decide on its course of action. It has been insisting on the reinstatement of 101 dismissed pilots and a solution to issues relating to their career growth.
Officials said Mr. Singh told the pilots there would be no victimisation, if they resumed duty without any further delay. He reiterated the government's stand that the strike was illegal and said it caused passengers untold miseries and cost Air India much.
Mr. Singh said the pilots started the strike without notifying the management and reported sick when they were not. The strike has so far cost Air India Rs. 300 crore and forced it to operate 38 international flights instead of the 45 scheduled services. The carrier has said the contingency plan will be in force till June 30.
The stand-off between the IPG and the AI management has been there for a long time now, much before the present strike. If the management is at fault, then they should certainly retrace their steps to assure that their employees get a fair and justified chance to undergo trainings which affect their future career growth. In this case if, as the IPG claims,the senior pilots are bypassed and Dreamliner trainings are given to their juniors, then they are justified in protesting, though their means of doing the same is questionable.
Likewise hire a new minster for the department instead of retaining the one who plans to take trip to USA to receive the new jet air crafts. With this kind of management,how can AI make profits?
A good opportunity to just close down this white elephant
The Goverment should not bow down to these Pilots and warn them to sack if they not report next day. Last week I read the report that Staff of Air India stole the Alchohal, if staff is involved in such activities they are not Loyal to their employer.
Please start recruiting new pilots immediately.
Mr. Ajit Singh, if you keeping talking without taking stringent action of termination Pilots will never take you seriously. Time is ripe for less talk and hard action. I request Hon Minster to read Oxford University Press published, Joseph McCartin's book, 'Collision Course: Ronald Reagan, The Air Traffic Controllers, and the Strike that Changed America" describing the audacious action of US President Reagan dismissing the 11,345 striking air traffic controllers and permanently broke the back of arrogant trade union which was time and again holding flying public to ransom.
Mr Ajit Singh should not back down now, after the tremendous dent to corporate credibility, national pride, and loss to exchequer caused by these irresponsible striking pilots. They must face a proper Military Medical Board per law, and if appropriate, only genuine instances of rigorously documented illness supported by medication, blood and other tests, x-rays, hospitalization, empanelled doctor reports, and similar such proof should be re-instated. It is my sense the vast majority of striking IPG pilots who think they can hold the nation to ransom like this were not even ill to begin with. The Aviation Ministry, along with Air India, may start conducting interviews for new pilots. I am sure, given the current state of the aviation industry and competitors in India, there must be plenty of competent pilots eager to join Air India with its enviable pay, prestige, emoluments, and other benefits. It does not make sense to give in now, after so much damage has been done by the IPG pilots.
Large private sector economy in India is very robust. It has a viable and extremely capable stock market that is able to raise capital to the tune of Lakhs of Crores of rupees. The private sector is able to compete on the international markets in numerous areas of business and industry. It is no longer true, as it was in the 1950's that Poor India is a backward country that has no private investors who can support a National Airline, and the government has to step in to up hold Mother India's Honor and run an international airline bearing the Indian Name. Those days are gone. Now the time has come for the Government to step aside from international or any other airline business and let the private sector meet the challenge - and they will. In this day it is an outrage that the poor man in the street and rural farmer pay Rs. 77.50 for petrol so as to support the fat cats in Air India. Sell off Air India for scrap value, and let them survive by their own share-holder's money.
There is no need for any sympathy towards any pilot be he is young person or old person. They belong to a selfigh type of breed who dont care for any law and acts in a manner without thinking of the result of their actions and suffering which are caused to the other persons. First and last thing should be told to them that there relation with government are of a Master & Servant and they cannot dictate the Master. If they are not satisfied with their service conditions they are free to resign and search for a better job. It is the prerogative of the government to whom they choose for flying the new aircrafts and it is not their birth right.
What prevented Mr. Ajit Singh from holding talks with the pilots when
they began the strike? Instead of doing so, he sat on his high horse
and dreamed of going to Seattle to take delivery of the Dreamliner. He
cared two hoots about fare-paying passengers. Shame on the minister!
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