MUMBAI: Privatized airline Air India is likely to handle its first labor-related strife next week as the aircraft maintenance technicians who service the airline’s fleet have threatened a “tools down agitation” across country from February 7.
About 1,700 technicians, who are on fixed term contract with Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL), a government-owned company that handles engineering jobs for private carrier Air India have threatened to take part in the agitation. Among the jobs these technicians handle are aircraft fueling, readying the aircraft for departure, marshaling, maintenance work etc. “Air India’s international and domestic flights will be hit because we make for about 60% of AIESL workforce,” said a technician, requesting anonymity.
Their demands include salary revision, employment contract renewal, inclusion of dearness allowance etc. “We want salary based on “equal work, equal pay.” Our salaries should be on par with that of service engineers of Air India because our job profile, qualifications etc are the same,” he added. “But our salary is Rs 25,000. For the month of January, many of us received a salary of Rs 21,444. Among the deductions made were those for medical facility and Rs 1100 that AIESL has been deducting since May 2020 as part of economic measures,” he added.
A statement from Air India is awaited.
In January, the technicians had written to the AIESL management with the list of demands, threatening “tools down agitation” from January 17. As conciliation proceedings under assistant labor commissioner commenced between the technicians and the AIESL management, the agitation was postponed. “But the talks have failed,” the technician said.
About 1,700 technicians, who are on fixed term contract with Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL), a government-owned company that handles engineering jobs for private carrier Air India have threatened to take part in the agitation. Among the jobs these technicians handle are aircraft fueling, readying the aircraft for departure, marshaling, maintenance work etc. “Air India’s international and domestic flights will be hit because we make for about 60% of AIESL workforce,” said a technician, requesting anonymity.
Their demands include salary revision, employment contract renewal, inclusion of dearness allowance etc. “We want salary based on “equal work, equal pay.” Our salaries should be on par with that of service engineers of Air India because our job profile, qualifications etc are the same,” he added. “But our salary is Rs 25,000. For the month of January, many of us received a salary of Rs 21,444. Among the deductions made were those for medical facility and Rs 1100 that AIESL has been deducting since May 2020 as part of economic measures,” he added.
A statement from Air India is awaited.
In January, the technicians had written to the AIESL management with the list of demands, threatening “tools down agitation” from January 17. As conciliation proceedings under assistant labor commissioner commenced between the technicians and the AIESL management, the agitation was postponed. “But the talks have failed,” the technician said.
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