The Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) and the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) have threatened to take industrial action if Air India does not restore their salaries within three days.
These two pilots’ unions have been seeking fulfilment of their demands for some time now, that is, they want the pay cuts to be rolled back. A letter was also written to the aviation secretary by the ICPA and IPG, which have at least 900 pilots as members.
With international flights to and from India slated to resume next month, the pilots wish to see the pay cuts that were imposed on them during the pandemic, being rolled back and their salaries being restored to pre-pandemic times. They have been calling the 55 per cent pay cut illegal.
Additionally the pilots have various issues regarding the disinvestment that they want addressed. They have said that if they are not addressed in the next three days, they may even call an indefinite strike.
The pilots have been taking 55 per cent pay cut since Aril 2020 and wish to be paid as per market standards now.
The other issues that the pilots want the Air India management to address are: the 25 per cent arrears with interest, along with statement of gratuity, leave encashment option as well as medical benefits for all employees on the rolls of Air India. They also want the pending grades of first officers to be released and the tax issues on the layover substance allowance (which was held back during the pandemic) to be sorted out.
