TATA Renews Air India Express Cabin Crew Contract by Five Years, Indefinite Strike Called Off

As per the demand of the Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), the Tata Group, the new management of Air India Express, has agreed to renew the contract of the cabin crew for five years.

The Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU) has called off the proposed indefinite strike after the new management of Air India Express agreed to renew the contract of the cabin crew for five years.

The meeting on February 22, attended by Assistant Labour Commissioner (Central) Aneish Ravindra, who played a very significant role in the negotiations, resulted in a positive outcome for the Union.

The management has also agreed to provide a ground job to cabin crew Basil K Paulose as recommended by the disability commission.

“In the said meeting the management has agreed to the decision of renewing the employment contract period of the cabin crew for 5 years as per the policy of the company and subjected to qualifying the prescribed standards and norms of the company,” AIXEU (BMS) President KK Vijayakumar, who is also the Vice-President of RSS-inspired Kerala State Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), said in a statement on Friday (March 4).

He added, “Also the management has established a ground job for our cabin crew Mr. Basil K Paulose as recommended by the disability commission and has awarded him a new contract to that effect. The Union welcomes these decisions of the management and has accordingly withdrawn the proposed indefinite strike.”

The cabin crew of Air India Express, which the Tata Group has now acquired, had accused the management of reducing their contract period from five years to one year, while other staff members and new recruits have been provided with a five-year contract.

Air India Express, a fully owned subsidiary of Air India, is based in Kochi and operates about 90 domestic and international flights per week. The Tata Group has taken over the management of Air India since January 23.

Assistant Labour Commissioner (Central) Aneish Ravindra acted as a mediator as a part of the conciliation proceedings under the provisions of the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947.

Thanking the Tata Group management for the resolution of the dispute, Vijayakumar said, “We take this opportunity to extend our gratitude to the Tata group for their positive intervention in this matter by deciding to set aside the arbitrary and unjust decision of the previous management to curtail the contract period of the cabin crew employees.”