Jet terminates services of 150 trainee technicians

Private air-carrier Jet Airways is believed to have terminated the service contracts of 150 trainee technicians across the country, although the airline said only 43 had been laid off.     

"The company has abruptly terminated the service contracts of 150 trainee technicians across the country. In Mumbai alone, the company has handed over pink- slips to 46 trainee technicians," a laid-off technician said.     

However, a Jet spokesperson clarified that "only 43 trainee technicians have been (retrenched) in accordance with their contract terms and in compliance with law".     

A delegation of Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activists is believed to have taken up the issue and is holding a meeting with the Jet Airways management, asking for these employees to be taken back.     

"We have already completed our one-year training period but in April 2008, the management extended the training period saying that the aviation industry was in recession and hence they were not being confirmed," the technician said.     

"We had accepted the company's proposal but now it has terminated our services midway," he added.