Tus Oppose Tata Airline

Five central trade unions have joined hands to oppose the proposal for the Tata-Singapore airlines joint venture. They have written to Prime Minister A B Vajpayee requesting him to intervene with the Foreign Investment Promotion Board so that the proposal is not cleared.

The All India Trade Union Congress, Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh, Centre for Indian Trade Unions, Hind Majdoor Sabha and Indian National Trade Union Congress have told Vajpayee that the proposal will "spell disaster on the public sector civil aviation industry."

"The proposal clearly envisages 40 per cent equity participation of Singapore Airlines which is trying to capture the Indian civil aviation market through the Tatas," the letter states.

The unions said the civil aviation ministry is showing a sympathetic consideration for the proposal even after the Tata Airlines failed to implement the guidelines issued by the government.

According to the unions' letter to Vajpayee, there have talks between the Tatas and civil aviation ministry. "There are rumours about some clandestine deal with the Tatas which is against the interest of the country and public sector airlines", the letter states.