The Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA), comprising several senior Air India pilots, have written to Air India Chairman and Managing Director Rajiv Bansal complaining that the leave without pay scheme, which Air India calls a ‘win-win’ for both’, was finalised without consulting the pilots. While ICPA said it supports temporary austerity measures in the wake of economic distress triggered by the pandemic, it has slammed the Air India management for its proposal with regards to restructuring of wages.

In a letter to Air India CMD, the ICPA said “Any unilateral change by Air India from agreed-upon wage settlement would be illegal and will not be in the interest of our National Carrier at this crucial juncture. Such a situation has the potential to flair to unprecedented magnitude.”

“In the press conference by Hardeep Singh Puri dated July 16, you had stated “we are in negotiation with the pilots” which is far from reality. It was not a negotiation, but the diktat of MoCA which was conveyed to us. We would also like to place on record that the so called negotiation was ‘not harmonious’ in any aspect,” the letter alleged.

“In the interest of the company and due to the COVID scenario, ICPA supports temporary austerity measures at all fronts. Only if such a restructuring is done in the true spirit of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution. Flying allowance and flying related allowances constitute 70 per cent of our wages. These allowances remain unpaid since April 2020,” the statement said. “Furthermore, all the wages are being paid with constant delays.” The ICPA said the proposal is “not acceptable” as it is against ‘Right to Equality’ guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.

Air India issued an internal order on July 14 asking its departmental heads and regional directors to identify employees, based on various factors like efficiency, health and redundancy, who will be sent on compulsory leave without pay (LWP) for up to five years. Moreover, it said employees can voluntarily opt for the LWP scheme too.

Air India has proposed a 60 per cent salary cut for pilots amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected 55 of its cockpit crew members, the ICPA and the Indian Pilots’ Guild (IPG) had said in their joint letter to Bansal last week.

Defending the arrangement, Air India had said it will give the employees freedom to engage themselves with another employer for the said period, the airline too will be able to save its cash flow on the other hand.

In an earlier statement, the airline said that in a challenging financial situation, it is taking recourse to several initiatives with a view to ensure that its flight operations continue.

The cost-cutting drive dovetails with a government plan to sell its entire stake in Air India amid increasing debt and mounting losses.

The Centre, in January, started the process by releasing an information document for investors and offering access to financial and other data of Air India and its subsidiaries.

The Government’s entire stake in Air India, its 100% stake in low-cost subsidiary Air India Express Ltd. and 50% stake in ground handling unit Air India SATS Airport Services Private Limited. are on offer