Eight unions have joined hands to oppose the privatisation of the financially bleeding airline. They have also asked the pilots’ unions – Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association, Indian Pilots’ Guild – and Indian Aircraft Technicians’ Association to join the agitation against privatisation.
The Air Corporations Employees’ Union (ACEU), which represents 8,000 non-technical staff of Air India, is trying to organise its members against privatization.
The union also plans to meet the group of ministers which will look into the disinvestment of its stake in the debt-ridden national airline.
It is of the view that privatization is clearly aimed at benefiting the private airlines. Calling NITI Aayog’s report on Air India ‘arbitrary and unilateral’, the union questioned the government’s motive. The union alleged that it was prepared without consulting the employees, who are the largest stakeholders. It said that if the government is so concerned about the taxpayers’ money, then why does it not recover the Rs 7.5 lakh crore borrowed by corporates from public sector banks?
Seven other unions of Air India – AI Air Corporate Employees Union, AI Employees Union, AI Aircraft Engineers’ Association, United Air India Officers’ Association, AI Engineer’s Association, AI Cabin Crew Association and AI Service Engineers’ Association – have already joined hands to oppose the privatisation of the financially bleeding airline. They have also asked the two pilots’ unions – Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association and Indian Pilots’ Guild — and Indian Aircraft Technicians’ Association to join the agitation against privatisation.
These unions are threatening an industrial unrest.
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This is the traditional and most expected response from the Unions. This is also a classical response of resistance to change
However there is a point if NITI Ayog has not consulted the employees in preparing the ‘report’. I doubt very much if it is true that they have not been consulted! Anyway the time has come take Air India to operation table and do the surgery.