The Hindu Business Line : Strike hits Indian operations

New Delhi June 13 It proved to be a harrowing time for a majority of passengers travelling with the State-owned Indian as the flash strike call given by the Air Corporations Employees Union (ACEU) affected normal operations of the airline.

The airline was able to operate only 96 of the 192 flights scheduled for the day. It also cancelled 62 flights and combined three flights on Wednesday. "Till 7.15 p.m., another 31 flights were delayed or yet to be operated," an airline spokesperson said. The airline reported delays ranging from 30 minutes to two hours on a number of flights across the country due to the ongoing agitation.

It has requested all passengers to travel light and reconfirm their flights before leaving for the airport. Indian has suspended 27 striking employees

The ACEU gave the call for an indefinite strike late on Tuesday night. The Union is demanding not only payment of wage arrears from January 1997, but also seeking time-bound assured career progression on the lines of Air India, restoration of pension, and making casual employees permanent.

The union represents non-officer and non-technical category of Indian employees that include cabin crew, ground and check-in staff.

Management offer

The Indian management has offered Rs 267 crore as wage arrears and a new career progression plan. The Government maintains that the Rs 267-crore package has been made available to Indian despite it being a sick PSU and, therefore, not entitled to arrears.

Officials point out that the current increase in emoluments being offered would on an average range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 7,850 per month without taking into consideration specific allowances and overtime. "With the revised pay-scales, the total emoluments of a peon or a loader at the minimum level will be over Rs 14,300 per month and a Senior Superintendent would get more than Rs 34,000 per month," sources said.

Meanwhile, the Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC), in a communication to the ACEU, has said that its action to proceed on strike during the pendency of conciliation proceeding before it, has rendered the strike illegal. "Considering the legal provisions and plight of the travelling public, you are requested not to resort to the strike, and bring in normalcy in the functioning of the airline," the CLC has said. ACEU officials were not reachable for comment.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Government and airline management had threatened to take strong action against the striking employees unless the agitation was withdrawn by the evening.

"The Union had in principle accepted the proposal that the airline management had put forward. However, yesterday without notice they went on strike. The airline will suffer further losses and the financial situation will become much worse. It will also lose the goodwill of the travelling public," Mr Praful Patel, Aviation Minister, said.

The Government has threatened to withdraw the Rs 267-crore package on offer and declare a lock-out in case the agitation was not withdrawn.

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