National NEWS
AI Cancels Another 76 Flights, Engineers Adopt Conciliatory Tone
May 26, 2010 Visionmp.com news service
As the strike of Air India engineers enters second day today, the public air carrier has cancelled another 76 domestic and international flights across the country leaving thousands of passengers stranded, said media reports.
However, after airline management last night threatened strict action including termination of service in the event strike is continued, the striking engineers adopted conciliatory tone and decided to hold talks over the gag order, the issue which triggered strike, reports said.
The AI had yesterday cancelled at least 50 domestic and international flights while many others were delayed by over two hours.
Amid reports that the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee spoke to Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and called for some tough action against the errant employees, the Union leaders were to meet Air India Chairman and Managing Director Arvind Jadhav in the Capital, said reports.
Besides, Patel is likely to brief the Union Cabinet on the strike that has severely disrupted the services of the state-owned airline during the peak holiday season with passengers facing a harrowing time, reports said.
“We have been invited by the management for talks and we are going to attend it. We will also meet the Chief Labour Commissioner and place our demands,” Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) General Secretary JB Kadian was quoted as saying.
Due to the strike, government has told its employees that they can fly using the private airlines for official tours and for availing the Leave travel Concession (LTC), said reports.
Earlier, the Government order was that the employees msut travel only in Air India.
According to Union leaders, as many as 20,000 employees are on strike nationally from yesterday to protest against Air India’s gag order – a circular prohibiting union leaders from going public with their demands.
The demands included issues relating to payment of salaries.
(Based on internet reports)
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