Air India unions threaten strike from November 2 to retain staff quarters

A section of ground staff and engineers of Air India have threatened to go on strike from November 2 over a government decision which requires them to vacate office quarters in six months after the sale of airline. 

A joint action committee of Air India unions served a strike notice to the airline management and the regional labour commissioner today. The agitating unions include Air Corporation Employees Union, Aviation Industry Employees Guild and All India Service Engineers Association.

The unions said employees have been asked to give an undertaking by October 15 that they would vacate the staff quarters.

The decision to ask employees to vacate homes while in service amounts to unilateral change of service condition and is violation of labour law, they said. The unions also argue that many of the employees are at the fag end of their careers and displacement will virtually bring them on the streets as they will be unable to afford buying or renting other homes.

Four other recognised unions too have raised concerns over the issue of staff quarters.

On Wednesday, the Air India Joint Action Forum of Unions asked civil aviation secretary Rajiv Bansal to look into the matter. 

"We urge you to intercede on behalf of the Air Indians who reside in these colonies to allow them to reside in them for a reasonable period of at least a year. Since the new buyer is providing employees with a one-year employment guarantee, the colony facility should at least be co-terminus with that date, if not until VRS is provided, " the joint action forum comprising of pilots, cabin crew and ground staff unions said.