AI pilots put off strike plans; to meet civil aviation secy on Monday

The Indian Commercial Pilots Association and the Indian Pilots Guild had earlier in the week given a three-day ultimatum to the airline to reverse the pay cut

Air India pilot unions have put on hold their decision to serve a notice on strike.

While Air India pilots' key demand of reversing pay cut remained unresolved in a meeting with the management on Friday, the unions would call on Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal on Monday to push their demands.

The Indian Commercial Pilots Association and the Indian Pilots Guild had earlier given a three-day ultimatum to the airline to reverse the pay cut. The unions threatened to resort to industrial action if their demands remained unfulfilled.

In a letter to their members, unions said the issue of pay cut was discussed on Friday and the matter remained inconclusive. “We demanded the restoration of full bilateral wage agreements. The management executives informed us that a follow-up meeting would be convened on December 6, chaired by the secretary of civil aviation, as they have no mandate on this issue," the unions said in a joint letter.

The unions also raised the issue of payment of 25 per cent arrears before the handover of the airline to the Tata group.

"Considering the meeting with the secretary of civil aviation, the decision to serve ‘strike notice’ has been temporarily put on hold," the unions said.