AI board may discuss Sahni panel report on unions this week

The carrier has around 14 unions including unrecognised ones, representing some 25,000 employees along with its two subsidiaries

The Air India Board at its next meeting slated for this week is likely to take up for discussion the recommendations made by the Krishna Mohan Sahni Committee on downsizing the recognised unions at the carrier.

Air India, which became one single entity by merging Indian Airlines, has at present around 14 unions including the unrecognised ones, representing some 25,000 employees along with its two subsidiaries.

The national carrier had last November set up a four-member committee under former labour secretary Krishna Mohan Sahni to suggest a road-map for cutting down the number of recognised unions in the airline.

"The committee has submitted its recommendations to the Air India management, which will now be taken up for consideration by its board," airline sources told PTI here.

The panel has recommended that the carrier may have one recognised union each for Air India and its engineering and ground handling arm, sources said, while now there are six unions.

"It has also recommended union elections and whichever wins 50% votes be accorded recognition," they said.

The Sahni committee recommendations are, however, contrary to the view take by some of the unions that there should be only one recognised union in the carrier.

The panel is mandated to determine the norms, processes and modalities for conducting the exercise for recognition of unions associated with Air India, Air India Engineering Services and Air India Air Transport Services.