Air India Pilots Threaten Strike Over Pay Disparities and Working Conditions

Air India faces a strike proposed by a section of its pilots, who claim that the airline's management has failed to address pay parity and working conditions issues. The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) represents some 800 pilots and has issued a notice stating that they will go on strike indefinitely from March 9 if their demands are not met. The union is seeking payment of arrears since the date of the merger between Air India and Indian Airlines in 2007 and better working conditions.

Key Takeaways:

• The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) has threatened to go on strike from March 9, citing issues with pay parity and working conditions.
• The union represents some 800 pilots and is demanding payment of arrears since the merger between Air India and Indian Airlines in 2007.
• The ICPA claims that the management has violated an agreement to implement the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations and has failed to ensure pay parity for pilots of the erstwhile Indian Airlines and Air India.
• Civil aviation minister Vayalar Ravi has set up a committee to harmonise the wages of the merged airline, but the ICPA is skeptical of the government's effort.
• Air India faces an annual wage bill of around Rs 3,000 crore and has a total debt of about Rs 50,000 crore and accumulated losses of over Rs 13,000 crore.

Statistics:

• The airline has lost Rs 3,450.6 crore during the first half of 2011, according to the aviation ministry.
• The losses in 2008, 2009, and 2010 have been Rs 2,226.2 crore, Rs 5,548.3 crore, and Rs 5,552.4 crore, respectively.
• The central government has infused Rs 2,000 crore of fresh equity in Air India in 2011, including Rs 800 crore and Rs 1,200 crore in instalments.

Sources:

• The Times of India
• ABP News
• Contify.com (distributed by ABP Private Limited)
• Aviation Ministry
• Pranab Mukherjee's 2011-12 budget statement