The Air India pilots' union on Friday, April 21, wrote to the Tata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran, urging his intervention in the matter of revised terms and conditions imposed on them by the Air India HR department.
"We earnestly implore the respected Chairman to intervene and rectify the
situation before it deteriorates any further," Indian Commercial Pilot' Association (ICPA) said in an open letter to Chandrasekaran.
The union has expressed its concern that the new service conditions are 'exploitative' and could have adverse effects on the growth prospects of the airline.
They pilots union has alleged that the HR department has little regard for the decades of experience logged by its employees. "The HR administration responsible for overseeing the Air India workforce had little regard for the decades of experience possessed by its employees. Instead, they appeared to be focused on dismantling, restructuring, or even replacing the human assets of the airline," the union said.
Additionally, the union accused the HR department of following a draconian approach that curtails the autonomy of employees. The union has urged N. Chandrasekaran to rectify the situation before it deteriorates any further. "HR policies characterised by a draconian approach, driven by a lack of trust and aimed at curtailing the autonomy of employees, began to roll out."
Furthermore, the ICPA has sent a legal notice to Air India's Chief HR Officer over the revised terms and conditions.
The union has emphasised its vital involvement and role in matters of industrial disputes and stated that Air India cannot approach union members individually to sign the new terms.
The ICPA has made it clear that it does not agree with the new terms and conditions and that they cannot be introduced unilaterally. It has specifically mentioned that its members do not want forced promotions to senior commander, which they believe is an attempt to dissolve their protection.
The union has also pointed out that the Air India Purchase Agreement does not allow for a unilateral change in service conditions.
The ICPA has also accused Air India of intimidating and coercing pilots into signing the revised terms and conditions.
(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)
