Mumbai: Air India Ground staff and service engineers have threatened to go on an indefinite strike from November 2 on the airline’s recent notice asking them to vacate their staff quarters within six months of the national carrier’s privatization.
Three unions, representing most of the ground workers, have demanded that the airline allow them to use the residential quarters until their retirement.
The national carrier is expected to debut as a Tata-owned private airline next year.
In an October 5 circular, Air India ordered its employees to sign an undertaking stating that they would vacate their quarters in six months’ time after privatization. The last date for submission of undertakings is October 20.
Wednesday’s Joint Action Committee Air India Union On this issue, a notice of strike was handed over to the Regional Labor Commissioner.
More than 7,000 Air India employees live in Air India Colonies, which are spread over about 184 acres of land in Kalina, Santa Cruz.
In their letter to the labor commissioner, the unions said that the lands on which the colonies are located are given permanent lease to Air India by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
“Therefore AAI is the owner of the land and Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) is only a tenant. Air India has no reason to vacate the dilapidated colonies and hand over the land to the Adani Group. Occupied Mumbai airport. ,” the letter said.
“There are several jhuggis on the airport land which have not been given notice. The Maharashtra government is the custodian of the land records and their permission is required for transfer and/or change of user of the land,” the letter said. 5 October circular.
“If the management has the legal right to ask the employees in these colonies to vacate their houses, then there is no question of taking any undertaking from the employees,” the letter said. Rights relating to the conditions of service of employees” as provided under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
“Staff quarters are mostly given to employees who do not own a house in Mumbai and are not paid HRA. As such they are legally entitled to accommodation as a condition of service and a legal right that has been there for many decades. exists,” the letter said.
The first buildings in the airline colony were constructed in 1956, more than a decade after the Mumbai airport opened for flights.
Three unions, representing most of the ground workers, have demanded that the airline allow them to use the residential quarters until their retirement.
The national carrier is expected to debut as a Tata-owned private airline next year.
In an October 5 circular, Air India ordered its employees to sign an undertaking stating that they would vacate their quarters in six months’ time after privatization. The last date for submission of undertakings is October 20.
Wednesday’s Joint Action Committee Air India Union On this issue, a notice of strike was handed over to the Regional Labor Commissioner.
More than 7,000 Air India employees live in Air India Colonies, which are spread over about 184 acres of land in Kalina, Santa Cruz.
In their letter to the labor commissioner, the unions said that the lands on which the colonies are located are given permanent lease to Air India by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
“Therefore AAI is the owner of the land and Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) is only a tenant. Air India has no reason to vacate the dilapidated colonies and hand over the land to the Adani Group. Occupied Mumbai airport. ,” the letter said.
“There are several jhuggis on the airport land which have not been given notice. The Maharashtra government is the custodian of the land records and their permission is required for transfer and/or change of user of the land,” the letter said. 5 October circular.
“If the management has the legal right to ask the employees in these colonies to vacate their houses, then there is no question of taking any undertaking from the employees,” the letter said. Rights relating to the conditions of service of employees” as provided under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
“Staff quarters are mostly given to employees who do not own a house in Mumbai and are not paid HRA. As such they are legally entitled to accommodation as a condition of service and a legal right that has been there for many decades. exists,” the letter said.
The first buildings in the airline colony were constructed in 1956, more than a decade after the Mumbai airport opened for flights.
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