Some employees of SpiceJet went on strike today, at the Delhi airport, demanding resolution of issues pertaining to pay cuts and disbursement of salaries. However, the strike did not have any adverse effect on the operation of flights.
Ever since the pandemic struck in 2020 and affected flights and airlines, SpiceJet has been paying reduced salaries to quite a few members of its workforce. With the hospitality and aviation sector being the worst affected by the pandemic, the financial situation of most airlines has been unstable and uncertain, forcing them to lay off staff and resort to pay cuts.
Earlier, in April, 2021, SpiceJet was so badly affected by the second wave that the airline had to partially outsource its ground handling work at Mumbai Airport, to a third party.
In June this year, the airline had informed its employees that it would pay them as per their number of work hours put in, given the dip in revenue and cash flow. It had anyway deferred the May salaries for a significant chunk of its workforce.
The employees were informed that while the salaries for May would be credited to their bank accounts on June 1, there would be graded deferment of up to 35 per cent for some staff members. It was assured that the deferred amount would be released in the second week of June. It was also assured that those belonging to the low-pay categories would be paid their full salaries and would not have to face any cut or deferment.
