Protesting delayed payment of salaries and allowances, a section of Air India pilots today warned they would not undertake flying duties from April 1, 2012 if their dues were not cleared by then. The Indian Pilots Guild (IPG), which represents the pilots of pre-merger Air India, has shot off letters to Ajit Singh, Minister of Civil Aviation,
Mallikarjun Kharge, Minister of Labour and others saying that a large number of its members had complained that "financial distress" could "adversely affect" their ability to safely discharge their duties and endanger lives, according to a PTI report. Hence, its members "will be unable to operate flights on and after April 1, 2012, unless the management clears all the dues," Jeetendra Awhad, President, IPG said in the letter sent also to Rohit Nandan, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India, Nasim Zaidi, Civil Aviation Secretary, Govt of India and EK Bharat Bhushan, Director General, DGCA. Subtly seeking to distance itself from the proposed agitation, Awhad said, "In the interim, we will do our utmost to convince our members to exercise calm and restraint. However, given the financial distress facing them, we are unable to provide any assurances to that effect." He also said that sought the "urgent intervention" of the two Ministers and others in resolving the issue at the earliest.
Click here to see the original article>Mallikarjun Kharge, Minister of Labour and others saying that a large number of its members had complained that "financial distress" could "adversely affect" their ability to safely discharge their duties and endanger lives, according to a PTI report. Hence, its members "will be unable to operate flights on and after April 1, 2012, unless the management clears all the dues," Jeetendra Awhad, President, IPG said in the letter sent also to Rohit Nandan, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India, Nasim Zaidi, Civil Aviation Secretary, Govt of India and EK Bharat Bhushan, Director General, DGCA. Subtly seeking to distance itself from the proposed agitation, Awhad said, "In the interim, we will do our utmost to convince our members to exercise calm and restraint. However, given the financial distress facing them, we are unable to provide any assurances to that effect." He also said that sought the "urgent intervention" of the two Ministers and others in resolving the issue at the earliest.