NACIL unions seek restoration of ACEU, AIAEA

As many as nine trade unions of the National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL), which runs Air India, have made a fervent appeal to the management seeking a review of its derecognition of two trade unions done last month.

The unions, in a joint representation, have also sought reinstatement of all sacked/suspended employees by the management, following a strike by the two unions last month.

The appeal comes a month after the NACIL management cracked the whip on Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) and All India Aircraft Engineers Association (AIAEA) by derecognising and sacking their top leadership after they struck work to protest a 'gag order' barring them from airing their grievances before the media.

ACEU and AIAEA together had over 11,000 members under their banner of the total of around 30,000 workforce in NACIL.

"Subsequent to our verbal appeal, we all once again appeal to you to kindly review the termination letters issued to leaders/members of Air Corporation Employees Union and All India Aircraft Engineers Association," the joint representation signed by the nine NACIL unions and addressed to its Chairman and Managing Director, Arvind Jadhav, said.

They have also appealed to the management to withdraw its derecognition of the unions, saying that "this will introduce their rights as available under the Trade Union Act."

Copies of the representation have also been sent to the Prime Minister's Office, Civil Aviation Minister and Civil Aviation Secretary, besides several politicians cutting across party lines.
       
Assuring the management that the unions/associations in the company would continue to play an active role in its 'turnaround plan', the representation said, "it is our firm belief that with the co-operation of all employees, we shall together achieve the objective of turning around Air India."
       
Air India's management had sacked 54 employees, which included the top leaders of the two unions beside suspending 24 others immediately after a Delhi High Court stayed the strike.
       
The two-day agitation caused the airline a Rs 10-crore loss as around 139 flights were cancelled due to non-availability of staff.
       
The unions which have signed the representation include Indian Pilots Guild, Indian Commercial Pilots Association, Air India Aircraft Engineer Association, Aviation Industry Employees Guild, Air India Officers Association, Indian Airlines Officers Association among others.