New Delhi:
The 700 pilots from Air India who have been on strike for a week have decided not to return to the cockpit. The Delhi High Court earlier today declared, "This strike will not see another day." Well, it will. The court will resume hearing the case tomorrow filed by the airline's management against its pilots.
A raise is what the 700 pilots of the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (IPCA) had originally asked for. They then suggested a CBI inquiry into the alleged corruption among the airline's management would interest them. Air India last week de-recognized the ICPA.
Today, the pilots told the High Court that if the management agrees to re-recognize the union, and rehire three men who were sacked, they would consider reporting to work. The management says it will not accept any preconditions.
The week-long strike has cost Air India close to Rs 40 crore. Hundreds of flights were cancelled last week. Passengers complained the airline was not sharing information on delays and cancellations. Many said they ended up sleeping the night at airport terminals, waiting for their flights to finally take off. Routes linked to Delhi and Mumbai were hit especially hard.
The Delhi High Court declared the pilots to be guilty of contempt of court for ignoring its orders last week to end the strike. The management threatened that all 700 pilots on strike would get pink slips. Unperturbed, the pilots said they'd treat their letters of dismissal as "toilet paper."
Today, the judges hearing the case said, "When a court passes an order, you have to obey it. We cannot allow people to undermine this institution. If we allow that, no one would care two hoots. There would be anarchy....an order has been violated and you have no answer. Why don't you call off the strike right now?"
The ICPA says that since 2007 when the government merged Air India with Indian Airlines, the pilots of the two entities have not been given equal pay. Those who came to the merger from Air India are paid more. Pilots with the former Indian Airlines are paid a large percentage of their salaries based on how an hours they actually fly.
Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi has said the pilots on strike are on shaky ground. He says 800 pilots are paid Rs 1600 crore every year.
A raise is what the 700 pilots of the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (IPCA) had originally asked for. They then suggested a CBI inquiry into the alleged corruption among the airline's management would interest them. Air India last week de-recognized the ICPA.
Today, the pilots told the High Court that if the management agrees to re-recognize the union, and rehire three men who were sacked, they would consider reporting to work. The management says it will not accept any preconditions.
The week-long strike has cost Air India close to Rs 40 crore. Hundreds of flights were cancelled last week. Passengers complained the airline was not sharing information on delays and cancellations. Many said they ended up sleeping the night at airport terminals, waiting for their flights to finally take off. Routes linked to Delhi and Mumbai were hit especially hard.
The Delhi High Court declared the pilots to be guilty of contempt of court for ignoring its orders last week to end the strike. The management threatened that all 700 pilots on strike would get pink slips. Unperturbed, the pilots said they'd treat their letters of dismissal as "toilet paper."
Today, the judges hearing the case said, "When a court passes an order, you have to obey it. We cannot allow people to undermine this institution. If we allow that, no one would care two hoots. There would be anarchy....an order has been violated and you have no answer. Why don't you call off the strike right now?"
The ICPA says that since 2007 when the government merged Air India with Indian Airlines, the pilots of the two entities have not been given equal pay. Those who came to the merger from Air India are paid more. Pilots with the former Indian Airlines are paid a large percentage of their salaries based on how an hours they actually fly.
Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi has said the pilots on strike are on shaky ground. He says 800 pilots are paid Rs 1600 crore every year.
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