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Air India pilots allege blatant discrimination by management
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SME Times News Bureau | 03 Aug, 2020
Alleging blatant discrimination
by Air India's Personnel and Finance Departments, the pilots have told
the national carrier's management that if such behaviour continues
unchecked, the Director, Personnel will be responsible for the
consequences.
In a letter to Air India Chairman and Managing
Director Rajiv Bansal, the pilots' associations, the Indian Commercial
Pilots Association and the Indian Pilots Guild, have alleged that the
management is discriminating against the pilots.
"We request you
to kindly direct the concerned departments to clear backlogged files as
well as outstanding dues for all pilots. We have cooperated
unconditionally above and beyond the call of duty to ensure smooth
flight operations. This blatant discrimination, among other grievances,
has severely hampered our morale and faith in these departments. If such
behaviour continues unchecked, the Director, Personnel will be
responsible for the consequences to follow," the pilots said.
"We
would like to bring to your notice the lackadaisical attitude of the
Personnel and Finance Departments in ensuring timely action and payment
when it comes to pilots," the letter said.
"When it comes to
doling out promotions en masse for themselves or other support
departments, not even a pandemic or national lockdown can dent their
enthusiasm. When even retrospective deductions are made on our wages
with immediate effect by way of prompt circulars, why do the same people
drag their feet when it comes to clearing our rightful dues or
honouring our service conditions?" the pilots asked.
Citing
examples of this "lackadaisical attitude", the pilots said that the
Special Pay increment, as per the bilateral wage agreement between the
management and the ICPA of January 1, 2016, mentions a yearly increment
as per years of service in the grade.
"No increment has been made
in special pay since 2019. This routine exercise is never given
priority, as pilots are the prime beneficiaries. Further, despite clear
directions from the Hon. Supreme Court, the 2016 wage has been illegally
and unilaterally imposed upon pilots of the IPG who already have a
separate bilateral wage agreement. The TMU (Temporary Medically Unfit)
Insurance compensation for pilots is never paid on time. Pilots are made
to run after their files from one department to the next till there are
no more excuses to delay processing. At times, the delay is in years,"
they said.
The pilots alleged that the Captain or Commander Grade
revision is never carried out on time, despite being a routine annual
exercise.
Then, the Personnel Department's draft Establishment
orders are replete with mistakes/omissions which has to be corrected
through repeated representations, they said. After all this unnecessary
delay, when the order is eventually released, the financial benefits
accrue from the date of the Establishment order and not from the actual
date of promotion, they said.
"Why is the cost of the inefficiency of the Personnel Department being paid by pilots?" they asked.
The
PMU (Permanently Medical Unfit) compensation to any affected pilot is
again never paid on time. As mentioned above, the affected pilot is made
to run from pillar to post for his/her rightful compensation. "Please
note that these pilots have lost their source of livelihood as they are
permanently grounded. They are being let down by the company when they need it the most," the pilots said.
They
also said that the retirement benefits of recent retirees are yet to be
cleared. The treatment meted out to these loyal long-serving employees
of Air India is unethical, as per the pilots.
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