Nationalist Congress Party legislator Jitendra Awhad, known more for his high profile 'dahi handi' on Gokulashtami, has shot into prominence as the leader of Air India's pilots' union, Indian Pilots Guild (IPG). As the pilots' strike entered the sixth day, with the airline forced to cancel scores of flights and stop bookings to the US and Europe, Jitendra Awhad told Aneesh Phadnis that Air India's management was responsible for the failure of the merger with Indian Airlines and blames it for misleading the civil aviation minister. Edited excerpts:
It is being said that the strike is politically motivated to discredit civil aviation minister Ajit Singh.
There is no politics behind this agitation. The issue regarding pilot training on Boeing 787 plane has been going on since the past year and we have been fighting for it since then. We moved the Bombay HC on the issue over six months ago. If this was a politically motivated agitation, we could have gone on strike six months ago.
NCP is a coalition partner in the state and at the Centre. Are you targeting the government by launching this agitation?
This agitation is not to target the central government. It is for survival of the pilots whose careers are at stake. I am only appealing to the government to address the problem.
AI management says accepting the IPG’s demand would impose a burden of Rs 18 cr and it cannot afford it.
When AI management gives a pay rise to ex-Indian Airlines pilots or decides to train them on Boeing 787 at thrice the cost, it does not feel the financial crunch. The disparity and stepmotherly treatment to AI pilots is the cause for the agitation.
AI is losing Rs 10 crore daily due to the strike.
The strike should be an eye opener for the government. If they do not open their eyes now, the Rs 30,000 crore sanctiond to AI would evaporate. The government should intervene and address lingering employee issues now to avoid problems in future. Why are you talking of Rs 10 crore? Crores of rupees have been wasted due to mismanagement. Ajit Singh should appoint a committee of aviation experts to probe unnecessary wastage of resources carried out by the management.
When will the strike end?
It is in the hands of civil aviation minister Ajit Singh. It depends on his decision. He is like a father figure to me. He should understand the feeling of young pilots who have been flying without salary for last five months and have risked their careers. AI management has misled the civil aviation minister.
It is said that you are using the pilots strike as a platform to become a national trade union leader. What would you say?
I am not interested in trade unionism. I am too headstrong for that role. It is not my cup of tea.
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You are not a pilot and thus not equipped to lead pilots union.
A leader should understand problems and pulse of his employees. I do that. George Fernandes was not a taxi driver or a locomotive driver, but he became a railway union leader. Shanti Patel never worked in docks but he led dock workers.
Do you blame the AI-IA merger for the current crisis?
The merger was a right decision but implementation was the responsibility of the management.
The management is taking decisions for their own benefit. The merger and integration would not be successful unless there is a humane approach.
Has any of the central ministers or national leaders called you to end the strike?
No.
