National carrier Air India continued its blitzkrieg against two unions of Air India (domestic) by dismissing and suspended more union leaders on Thursday, de-recognising the two unions and sealing its offices but the unions threatened to hit back by calling for another strike from June 12 or another flash strike even before that
date unless the punitive action was reversed. The Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) and All India Aircraft Engineers Association (AIAEA) have been de-recognised. But Air India adopted a two-pronged strategy by inviting the representatives of the remaining unions (who did not go on strike) for a meeting with the management on June 1 in Mumbai to explain “the actual reasons leading to the present situation”.
Air India announced on Thursday that more dismissals and suspensions had been carried out, taking the total number of dismissed union-members to 58 and the suspended union-members to 24. Air India said it was de-recognising the two unions for the illegal strike on May 25 that caused harassment to passengers and caused revenue loss to the airline. It also said the unions had violated discipline and had criticised the airline in the media. Air India also contended that there was “no statutory provision for recognition of the union” and that the “code of discipline” that permits recognition of a union is only “recommendatory and has no statutory force”.
Flight cancellations continued on Thursday as well in view of the backlog caused by the strike on Tuesday and Wednesday. Air India officials put the number of flight cancellations at about 30 on Thursday but said about 180 domestic flights were operated.
But Air India said the situation would be back to normal by Friday.
In the wake of the strong action by Air India backed by the highest levels in the Government, union leaders said they were consulting their lawyers on the next course of action. “We will petition the courts against this action by Air India and we will also call another strike next month if this action is not reversed,” warned another union leader.
The flash strike by the ground-staff and aircraft maintenance engineers of Air India (domestic) had been called off by union-members on Wednesday evening after the Delhi high court had stayed the strike. The strike had led to large-scale disruption of flights of Air India (domestic).