Protesting against the airline management’s decision to unilaterally change pay structure and terms of services, Air India pilots on Tuesday sought Ratan Tata’s intervention to resolve the matter. In a petition signed by over 1,500 Air India pilots, the community alleged that “the concerns of the pilots are not being heard or addressed by the present HR team”.
On 17 April, Air India introduced a revised compensation structure for its pilots and cabin crew, which has since been rejected by two pilot unions – the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) and the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) – on the grounds that It has been alleged that the airline did not consult them before finalizing the new contracts, in alleged violation of labor practices.
Both the unions also urged their members not to sign/accept the revised contract and wage structure. Air India, which remained under government control for nearly seven decades, is set to be acquired by the Tata group at the end of January 2022.
In their petition, the pilots claimed that their morale is low and they are not being treated with “respect and dignity” by the current management and this could negatively impact their ability to perform their duties.
In the petition, the pilots said, “We have always been committed to the success of Air India and have gone above and beyond to ensure that we provide the best possible experience to our passengers.”
The pilots also said that they understand that the challenges faced by the airline are complex and that “we are committed to working with the company to find solutions that will benefit all stakeholders”.
“However, we feel that our concerns are not being heard or addressed by the present HR team. Therefore, we are respectfully requesting your assistance in resolving these issues,” the pilots said in the petition.
As Chairman Emeritus of Air India, “we believe that your magnanimous leadership can help us find a solution that is fair and respectful to all parties”, he said.