The country’s biggest private airline could see disruption of services from Tuesday with several of its Indian pilots reported to be
going on mass sick leave from Monday night itself. Jet’s newly formed union of pilots, National Aviators Guild (NAG), held talks with management till late on Monday over the issue of reinstating two pilots sacked over the formation of the association. While the issue remained unresolved, NAG president Girish Kaushik told TOI that the union had withdrawn the threat of going on strike from Monday night.
“But the management has not given any assurance on our demand. Pilots are extremely perturbed and are taking their own action. About 400 of them may not report to work on Tuesday,” Kaushik said. Jet has over 1,000 pilots, with 80% being Indians and the rest expats. About 650 of the Indian pilots are part of the newly formed NAG. There are about 280 domestic flights and 100 international flights and the majority of Indian pilots are likely to go on mass sick leave. And the Indian pilots who are on duty abroad, after coming back to India, are likely to report sick.
The airline on the same day declared that salary for the month of August to senior level officials, including pilots salary, will be paid by September 15. The airline, whose monthly salary bill for its about 12,000 staffers is close to Rs 100 crore, used to pay employees by the seventh of every month. This month also, employees were first told that the pay would come by then.
“Please note that due to unavoidable circumstances, salary for the month of August 2009 for pilots, engineers and for employees in M3 & above grade (senior management) will now be credited by September 15, 2009. Regret for the inconvenience caused,” Santosh Chalke, senior GM (HR), said in a mail to employees.
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