Air India Pilots strike for dignity and to save the national carrier from liquidation

These highly skilled women and men have two simple points they are fighting for. In the words of a leader of the Pilots association, these are — (1) We will fight for our dignity as pilots and workers and (2) we will fight the attempts of the present management and the government to liquidate Air India and privatise it. The Communist Ghadar Party of India fully supports the just struggle of the Air India pilots.

800 women and men, all pilots of Air India, the national carrier, have gone on strike since midnight of April 26-27.

These highly skilled women and men have two simple points they are fighting for. In the words of a leader of the Pilots association, these are — (1) We will fight for our dignity as pilots and workers and (2) we will fight the attempts of the present management and the government to liquidate Air India and privatise it. The Communist Ghadar Party of India fully supports the just struggle of the Air India pilots.

The women and men pilots of Air India have gone on strike on the same issues a number of times in the past two years. After every struggle, the management represented by MD Arvind Jadhav, after arrogantly provoking the strike, has come back to say the management would concede the demands of the pilots. However, he has gone back on his words. The pilots are convinced this is part of a plot to destroy Air India. This time around, they have decided, enough is enough. We do not mind being thrown out. We are pilots, we are workers, and we are not slaves. We will fight till victory. One of the key demands of the pilots is that the government immediately sacks the MD responsible for the crisis facing Air India.

The management and the government have reacted with vengeance. The management has issued termination notice to 8 pilots, and threatens to terminate all. It has sealed the office of the Pilots Association. The Delhi High Court, which takes years to hear cases, has quickly declared the strike as “illegal” at the instance of the government, showing how the management, the government, and the courts all work against the interests of workmen — whether Commanders of flights, or ordinary daily wage labourers. The Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Vyalar Ravi has contemptuously asked pilots why they are getting “high salaries” when they are just 10+2 pass. In a public meeting at the airport, the pilots expressed their horror and indignation at these comments. A young woman said — what is the minister’s qualification other than being a minister in eating money? A senior pilot remarked — I will tell him I command a flight with zero tolerance and the lives of 200 like him are in my hand. I serve society. I may give him tea. I may give him food. But he should not forget what work I am doing!

Sitting on dharna in front of the Union office, the pilots, women and men, greying and young, are working people, just like all other working people. They are laughing and joking, but strike and sitting in the Sun is not their main occupation. Their main occupation is thousands of KM in the air, to fly people all across the country and world.

Salient points about liquidation of Air India

According to the pilots, there are several actions of the MD Arvind Jadhav which show that he is out to liquidate Air India as a prelude to privatization.

  1. 32 profitable routes have been withdrawn to benefit private airlines.
  2. Flight timings are changed frequently, so that the best timing slots are given to private airlines.
  3. Cabin crew were sent on 2 years leave. As a result, many cabin crew left work, resulting in shortage of staff. This has led to many cancellations.
  4. Saying there are excess of pilots in these conditions, pilots are asked to go on leave and work in a Private Airline, Paramount airlines, on deputation.
  5. Air India used to work profitably amongst other things because of in house operations. This includes the work of ground staff. The management and government has been leasing out this work to private contractors, with heavy kickbacks, attacking the 20,000  ground staff, including engineers. This has cost a lot of money for Air India. Last year, the strike of gorund staff and engineers was crushed, and 48 leaders of their unions are still suspended/terminated.
  6. The aircraft has been repainted three times in three years, each time with new insignias. This has cost thousands of crores. It has also meant that the brand value of Indian Airlines has been destroyed. The management has spent public money to the tune of 12 crores on crockery. It specialises in giving orders to the highest bidder  on all items of purchase.
  7. The promotion of employees is done on basis of chamchagiri, leading to a lot of heart burns.
  8. The wages of the 40,000 workers of Air India are being delayed by two months. This has been going on for a long time.

Pilots, the target of attack

The dignity of pilots is under attack.

  1. Women and men pilots recall numerous personal instances of management people with no knowledge of aircraft arrogantly questioning them why they refused to fly an aircraft unworthy of flight. They recall several instances of officials forcing them to violate safety rules.
  2. Any pilot who questions orders is threatened with dismissal/suspension.
  3. When the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines took place, it was agreed that a common wage and working condition agreement would be worked out. Despite repeated promises, this has not taken place.

Over a hundred foreign pilots have been recruited through an overseas recruiting agency, said to be a personal set up of Arvind Jadhav and higher ups in the ministry. These pilots are paid more than the market rate of private airlines, and much more than the Air India pilots on strike. They also have special privileges. They are being used as strike breaking tools. The pilots are convinced that there is a kickback arrangement and want this investigated.

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7 comments

  1. एयर इंडिया के विमान चालकों के

    एयर इंडिया के विमान चालकों के संघर्ष के दौरान दिल्ली उच्च न्यायालय का रवैया बहुत ही तानाशाहपूर्ण है। यह वही हाईकोर्ट है जिसके न्यायाधिश भ्रष्ट हैं। दिल्ली हाईकोर्ट मजदूरों के पक्ष में, बल्कि देश के पूंजीपतियों, मालिकों, सरकार और उसकी मैनेजमेंट के पक्ष में काम करती है। सालों-सालों तक मामलों को लंबा को खींचने में माहिर, किस तरह एक दिन के अंदर पायलटों के हड़ताल को अवैध करार दिया। मै। इस बात से सहमत हूं कि प्रबंधन, सरकार और अदालत, सभी मजदूरों के हितों के खिलाफ काम करते हैं – चाहे वे उड़ान कमांडर हों या आम देहाडी के मजदूर।

  2. I am a Retd.AI commander and

    I am a Retd.AI commander and experienced the Pilot`s strike of 1973,though,I was on duty and was to undertake return flight from Mauritius,This AI management declarted a lock out and ordered all pilots on out station flts to be thrown out from the hotels.I spent whole night on the sand out side on the beach with my son,who had gone with me.Other crew members showed symapathy and called us in their rooms and we shared accd.with them.The day These Babus took over the command from TATAS,They have ruined this Airline,What does a Babu know about the difficulties a pilot goes through in Bad weather,Engine on fire or other emergencies.pilot is like their God to save their lives in any emergency,at that time,they are all praises for the pilot,now these corrupt Netas open their big mouth and say these pilots are non graduates,its a real shemefull statement by the aviation Minister,whats his qualification to be minister of civil aviation when he doesnt know the difference in various A/C,Can he tell us whats a wind shear,can he tell us any thing about metreology,Navigation that is not taught to a graduate as these are special subjects.These babus only know how to loot money by giving innocent boys the flying licences.They want their own kith and kin to be inducted in AI.They are shameless.

  3. एयर इंडिया के पायलटों के

    एयर इंडिया के पायलटों के संघर्ष के बारे में आपकी रिपोर्ट बहुत पसंद आई।पूरे मीडिया में जब इस तरह की रिपोर्टें आ रहीं हैं कि कैसे पायलटों को इतनी तन्खाह मिलती है और वे कितने लोभी हैं, आदि, आपकी रिपोर्ट सच्चाई को सामने लाती है। हड़ताल पर जाने के पहले मज़दूर पूरी गंभीरता से सोचतें हैं। उन्हें मालूम है कि प्रशासन, प्रबंधन और पूरी व्यवस्था उनके संघर्ष को बदनाम करने की कोशिश करेगी। यहां तक कि मीडिया और न्यायालय भी उनके खिलाफ पक्षपाती रुख अपनायेंगे। उन्हें इस बात का भी अहसास भी रहता है कि उनके द्वारा काम रोकने में लोगों को असुविधा होगी। परन्तु जब प्रबंधन उनसे लगातार बेईमानी करता है और मज़दूरों के पास कोई और चारा नहीं बचता, तब अंत में मज़दूर हड़ताल पर उतरते हैं।

    यह साफ है कि प्रबंधन एयर इंडिया को बर्बाद कर रहा है। मुनाफे के रास्तों से उड़ानों को घटाना और फिजूल में बहुत सारे हवाई जहाजों का आर्डर देना, पायलटों के दावे की पुष्टि करते हैं। अगर पायलट चुपचाप काम करते रहते और इस मुद्दे को प्रभावी तौर पर जनता के सामने नहीं उठाते तो जल्द ही मीडिया में खबरें आती कि एयर इंडिया का दीवालिया हो गया है और इसका निजीकरण करना जरूरी है। किसी को पता नहीं चलता कि इसके पीछे प्रबंधन और सरकार की ही साजिश है। प्रबंधन की करतूतों का भंडा फोड़ कर पायलटों ने एक बहादुरी का काम किया है जो समाज के हित में है और काबिले तारीफ है।

    आपके माध्यम से में हिन्दोस्तान के मज़दूर वर्ग और प्रगतिशील लोगों से अनुरोध करना चाहता हूं कि पायलटों के संघर्ष का समर्थन व्यक्त करें।

    अमन बागी

    1. Dear Aman,

      You have very

      Dear Aman,

      You have very clearly brought out the important role being played by the striking pilots in exposing the plot to privatise Air India (the domestic part of it), and hailing their contribution to society.  If they had not gone on strike, the public may not have come to know of the plot involved, or only too late to do anything – that is an important point.  Now that they have brought so many facts to light, it is incumbent on all progressive forces including working class parties (all those who truly stand in defence of working class interests) to raise a united and powerful voice to block the road to their implementing the privatisation plot.

      Strike is indeed a very difficult decision, the ultimate weapon, not to be misused – the striking AI staff deserve to be applauded for using it very well, in their collective interest and in the general interests of society.  Among other things, privatisation would reduce the access to air travel for many people currently served by the less profitable routes.

      With warm revolutionary greetings,

       

       

       

  4. I support the air India

    I support the air India pilots strike

    (from Letter to the Editor from A Narayan, Bangalore)

    I am pleased to read the article posted on the internet on April 29, 2011 on the issue of the Air India pilots strike that the CGPI fully supports the just struggle of the Air India pilots.  The article presents a nuanced and non-demagogical view of the strike and the reasons why it is taking place. 

    The common perception is that it is the workers who are responsible for the strike and for causing hardship to the public. The present case illustrates that far from this being the case; the workers have endured unbearable harassment and iniquitous treatment over the years, and have been forced into the strike. 

    The Delhi High Court ordered the striking pilots back to work by declaring the strike illegal, and is initiating contempt proceedings since its order was not obeyed.  It has remarked that if its orders are not obeyed, then it would lead to anarchy and a discrediting of the institution, and then everyone would do as they liked. Why does not the Court also ask this of the management, and in particular of the MD, Mr. Arvind Jadhav? The latter has now been named in several allegations amounting to corruption of the worst sort, including those listed in the article, and more recently in the sale of valuable land to private players. 

    The fact that the Courts do not do this shows what their class character is and where their decisions normally lie. The claim that there will be anarchy is a bourgeois line, where the state is expected to maintain law and order so that maximum plunder and loot of the exchequer and the working millions may take place.  Can the Courts guarantee that if there is indeed law and order, then the hungry will be fed, the unclothed will be clothed, the uneducated will be educated? 

    Such being the case, the working masses must realize that the right to strike is an important tool in their armoury in the waging of class struggle.  It must be used with utmost precaution and with the intent of advancing the movement towards a stage when the working people being to take charge of running the matters of society.  The present case is one where there has been an igniting of class consciousness, with the pilots realizing that they are not different from any other working person.  Such being the case, one must greet the events with enthusiasm and wish them great success in meeting their objectives listed in the article.  A victory will advance the cause of the working people and I join the CGPI in extending support to the striking workers.

    Sincerely,

    A. Narayan

    Bangalore

  5. NOW THE STRIKE HAS BEEN

    NOW THE STRIKE HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN. BUT I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE PILOTS WHO SHOWS THEIR SOLIDARITY EVEN AFTER THE THREATS FROM CIVIL AVIATION MINISTRY, HIGH COURT AND SACKING THREATS FROM arogent ARAVIND JADAV. EARLIER I HAD PREPARED A STORY ABOUT AIR INDIA EARLIER STRIKE DURING MANGALORE AIR CRASH TIME IN TAMIL AND THE SAME HAS BEEN PUBLISHED at http://www.vinavu.com. NOW I WANT TO DO THIS STORY IN TAMIL SO AS TO EDUCATE TAMIL NADU PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS, THAT UNITY WILL NEVER FAIL. I WANT MORE DETAILS FROM ANY ONE OF UNION LEADERS. KINDLY SEND ME SOME MORE INFORMATIONS THRO EMAIL.

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