Trade unions extends support to Jet Airways pilots

Extending support to agitating Jet Airways pilots, eight major trade unions have asked the airline management to take back the two pilots it had sacked and recognise the National Aviators Guild, which is spearheading the stir.

"We demand the immediate revocation of the termination notices served to two pilots and that Jet Airways recognise the National Aviators Guild (NAG)", the trade unions said in a letter written to Jet Airways CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer last evening.

Accusing Jet Airways of pursing a "highly proactive anti-union" course of action, they said, "we stand solidly behind the pilots of Jet Airways and we will call upon all our trade unions to rally support."

The Jet pilots have been reporting sick en-masse protesting the sacking of two of their collegaues for forming the National Aviators' Guild, their union body.

The trade unions said that it was not an industrial dispute over pay or conditions of work but a matter of removal of employees from service for forming a trade union.

"By preventing the pilots from forming a union, you are violating their legal right to pursue legitimate trade union activities and infringing their fundamental rights to freedom of association guaranteed by the Constitution of India," they alleged.

The eight trade unions are All India Trade Union Congress, Bhartiya Mazoor Sangh, Hind Mazoor Sabha, Indian National Trade Union Congress, Centre of Indian Trade Unions, United Trade Union Congress, United Trade Union Centre, All India Central Council of Trade Unions.