AI strike: Management warns of wage cuts

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New Delhi: With fears of its flights being disrupted, Air India warned its employees of wage and allowance cuts if they participated in the proposed two-hour "illegal" walkout this afternoon to protest delayed payment of salaries.

Aviation Industry Employees Guild (AIEG), Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) and some other unions have threatened to walk out of their offices nationwide and stage demonstrations from 1300-1500 hours on Friday besides threatening to boycott their meetings with the management.

Hours before their proposed agitation, the management issued a Staff Notice warning that "any participation in the illegal strike would be viewed seriously and appropriate action, including deduction of wages and withdrawal of Productivity-Linked Incentive (PLI) till further orders, will be taken."

In Mumbai, an airline spokesman said steps were being taken to ensure smooth operations across all airports in view of the proposed agitation.

"Air India is taking requisite steps at airports to ensure that passengers do not face any inconvenience if and when the section of employees walk out between 1300 hours and 1500 hours today," he said.

Warning the employees of "firm" action if flights were disrupted and passengers inconvenienced, the staff notice said the agitation by the Joint Action Forum would violate the Industrial Disputes Act and "tantamount to illegal strike".

"All employees are aware that the company is going through a critical financial situation, and at this stage, any disruption to flights will adversely affect the image of the company. The proposed illegal strike is likely to have an adverse impact on our esteemed passengers," it said.

Last night, AI CMD Arvind Jadhav had written to the employees that besides wages and salary payments every month, fuel and bank liabilities like interest and principal payments, have to be paid on time.

"Considering the critical financial status of the airline, we should all be prepared to face the impact of harsh decisions that will be required to be taken to meet the current situation," Jadhav had said, adding that all staffers would have to "sacrifice some of the privileges we have enjoyed so far."

However, the unions blamed the management of "going back on their word" to pay the salaries by Friday