The Delhi High Court on Monday pulled up the Air India management for ‘sitting on’ the conciliation process for reinstatement of 101 pilots, who were fired during the recent two-month-long strike.
Justice Reva Khetrapal made the remark when counsel submitted that, as per the assurance given to the court, the public sector airline had set up a committee to consider reinstatement case by case, and the exercise was likely to take three months.
The judge then asked counsel to take instructions from his client, and inform it by Wednesday whether the committee would be able to reach a decision within four weeks.
The court was hearing the matter following withdrawal of the strike by the employees, and the assurance given simultaneously by the management that it would sympathetically consider their demands — on career progression and reinstatement.
Before withdrawing the strike, the Indian Pilots’ Guild told the court in an application that the pilots were ready to resume duty and discuss their grievances, if the management adopted a humane attitude.
