Air India unions file pleas against proposed eviction of employees

Air India unions have moved the Bombay High Court to challenge the proposed eviction of employees from staff colonies in Mumbai.

The unions argue that the airline’s letter asking employees to vacate office accommodation by July 26 amounts to a change in service condition. This, they said, is a violation of the Industrial Disputes Act.

It requires companies to issue a notice to union members before enacting change in service conditions.

Aggrieved by the management action, Aviation Industry Employees Guild (AIEG), Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) and All India Service Engineers Association (AISEA) have filed separate writ petitions for quashing of the airline’s October and May letters to staff. Currently, there are around 1,600 families residing in AI staff quarters at Kalina in Mumbai.

“The allotment of accommodation is provided till retirement/cessation of service, according to the Air India allotment rules. There is no provision for any unilateral and arbitrary termination as is sought to be in the present case,” AIEG said in its petition.

Also, the service engineers have pointed out that the airline could not have issued a letter seeking vacation of flats pending conclusion of conciliation proceedings. The conciliation eventually ended in a failure.  

Last September, the civil aviation ministry issued certain directions to Air India on the issue of staff retaining office accommodation. In turn, the airline asked employees to give an undertaking that they would vacate their homes within six maonths of disinvestment.

The employees issued a strike notice against it and the matter was referred to the labour commissioner office for conciliation.

“How can the employees be evicted overnight during the monsoon just because of privatisation of the airline? That is our plea,” said AIEG counsel Ashok Shetty.