With the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines stalled by litigation by the company's workers' union, the Supreme Court on Friday advised the employee union to consider settling the dispute amicably without causing the national carrier to "bleed" further.
Dealing with cross-appeals filed by Air India and its workers union against a Bombay High Court decision to refer the dispute to the Industrial Disputes Tribunal, the bench felt that the issue required both sides to sit together and find a solution. But with both sides refusing to budge, the Court issued notice on the appeals and fixed the matter for hearing after 10 weeks.
In the process, the Court did not lose sight of the Centre's attempt to revive the fledgling national carrier that had accumulated losses to the tune of Rs 30,000 crores till 2012. The Government had infused Rs 13,500 crore till date in a bid to keep it operational in the hope that the merger would fetch it a target of Rs 49,500 crore.
But with the litigation holding back the plans, the bench headed by Chief Justice RM lodha asked the union, "Would you not wish that your employer remains in healthy condition…It is bleeding." ASG lN Rao informed the Court that if the Bombay HC order is given effect, attempts to revive the company will be pushed beyond several years.
For the union, senior advocate Harish Salve argued that the company's own policies led it to bleed for which the employees were made to suffer as their salaries are paid in part. "You have money to buy planes, open skies, but you do not pay your employees. How can state employer say we don't have money to pay even wages," Salve said.