AI strike may end today as progress made in talks

PTI

New Delhi, 05 May 2011: Talks between government and striking Air India pilots to end the 8-day-old stir made some progress Wednesday night and will be resumed Thursday to sort out a few sticking issues.

"Talks will continue Thrusday," Civil Aviation Secretary Nasim Zaidi told reporters after over three-and-a- hour talks here between ministry officials and leaders of the agitating pilots.

"It will not be prudent to elaborate on any issue at this stage," he said going on to add without elaborating that, "many points have been covered. There are one or two points left."

Emerging from the parleys, Rishabh Kapur, general secretary of the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) which is spearheading the strike, said, "We are happy to have finally met and held talks. The talks are moving forward and going in a positive direction. we will meet again Thursday".

The ICPA, which claims a membership of over 800, has received support from many unions including that of their colleagues from the erstwhile Air India, Indian Pilots Guild (IPG).

Besides pay parity with them, ICPA is seeking CBI probe into alleged mismanagement and corruption, withdrawal of flights from profitable routes and aircraft purchases.

As Air India’s domestic operations remained crippled Wednesday, Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi had a meeting with Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav, Zaidi and top officials to review the situation arising out of the strike.

The ailing national airline operated a little over 10 percent or about 40 of its 320 scheduled daily domestic flights, including 10 each from Mumbai and Delhi.

Air India, which has sacked seven pilots and suspended six others, is suffering an estimated operational loss of Rs 26 crore per day on account of the stir. The management has also decided not to process the April salaries of the agitators till further instructions.

Delhi High Court yesterday slapped contempt notices on nine office bearers of the de-recognised ICPA for disobeying its order to call off the strike. It would take up the matter again on May 25.

The pilots are also demanding that all sackings, suspensions and transfers effected during the strike period be revoked, ICPA’s recognition be restored, the contempt of court petition filed by Air India management be withdrawn and all other issues be tackled in a time-bound manner.