2,000 airport workers face transfer

Over 2,000 permanent employees of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) are likely to face transfer as the Bombay High Court today vacated a stay granted earlier on such an action.

Indian Airports Kamgar Union, along with two other unions, had moved the court as transfer was on the cards in the wake of privatisation of the Mumbai International Airport.

In 2006, AAI had leased out airport maintenance contract to Mumbai International Airport Private Limited (MIAL) for 30 years.

According to the operation management development agreement (OMDA) between the two, AAI employees would continue to work in the same position for three years after MIAL took over. But prior to the expiry of the operation support period, that ends on May 3, 2009, the workers were made job offers by MIAL.

Of the 2,112 AAI employees, 161 joined MIAL and 600 were given option of transfer to other airports maintained by MIAL.

The case then came before an industrial tribunal which restrained the AAI and MIAL from making any transfer. The workers contended before the court that those who did not accept transfers had to accept a voluntary retirement scheme.

The workers unions said OMDA envisaged that those who did not join MIAL would become surplus and later retrenched.

AAI and MIAL then moved the High Court challenging the tribunal's order which restrained them from making transfers of employees to airports outside Mumbai.