MNS, Shiv Sena threaten Jet on job cuts

The Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) and Bal Thackeray’s Shiv Sena have threatened to stop all Jet Airways flights from Mumbai if the airlines fails to retain the 1,900 sacked employees at a lesser pay packet.

As many as 450 employees, who have been laid off by Jet Airways, today met MNS chief Raj Thackeray seeking his support to save their jobs in the company.

More than 50 per cent of the retrenched employees are Maharashtrians, they emphasised. “A delegation of MNS will meet Jet Airways management and request them to withdraw its decision. In case they don’t accept our request, we will ensure that not a single Jet Airways flight takes off from Mumbai or lands in Mumbai,’’ Thackeray told mediapersons at his residence.

MNS General Secretary and spokesperson Shirish Parkar said, “While demanding to protect the jobs of these youth, we will suggest to the Jet management that these employees are ready to work on a 30 per cent less salary till the going is tough. The management can raise their salaries when the situation returns to normalcy.” Meanwhile, Shiv Sena also joined the anti-Jet Airways agitation as Airport Workers Sena, affiliated to Shiv Sena’s trade union wing Bharatiya Kamgar Sena, held demonstrations outside the airline’s office at Marol.