IA stir called-off as management okays demands

Indian Airlines largest union -the Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) has called off its nationwide strike this afternoon, after hammering out a compromise solution with the management.

In what is a clear climbdown from the tough talking stance taken by Civil Aviation minister Praful Patel yesterday when he threatened even a lockout, the IA mangement accepted most of the conditions of the union on payment of arrears as well as their career progression. The  IA management will now fork out Rs 267 crore for arrears of the staff from 2000 which will now be paid up in 18 months instead of 36 months which was being insisted earlier. Also, the 27 employees who were suspended have been recalled back and their suspension order revoked.

"The employees have decided to call off the strike and things will get back to normal in a couple of hours," announced Union Civil Aviation Secretary Ashok Chawla after a meeting union members and the IA management.

Union sources say that as far as the career progression is concerned, a grade 9 employee, like a traffic superintendent, who has worked in that position for six years will be be promoted to the grade 12 (assistant manager). That would mean a salary increase of around Rs 7,500 a month. Also a grade 9 employee, like a traffic superintendent, who has been in that position for three years, will now be promoted to grade 9A (as a traffic officer), which would mean a salary increase of  Rs 6,000 a month. The changes would help over 1,000 employees of the airlines. The only issue which was not conceeded was that the union demand to give arrears from 1997 was not accepted.

"There were certain pending points in the management's promotion policy which were being ignored. Now these points have been taken care of," J K Badola, general secretary, ACEU, said.

Also, according to union sources, about 1000 lower grade staff like helpers whose promotions were pending since 1997, would be promoted automatically without any examination.

The strike had left about 40% IA flights across the country in limbo yesterday, with close to 62 cancellations (affecting 6,000-8,000 passengers). According to airline officials, there were more 103 cancellations across the country today. The operating flights were delayed by about an hour, during the latter half of the day. Things gradually returned to normal in the evening after the employees returned to work.