AI Express union alleges unfair labour practices; seeks intervention of labour commissioner

NEW DELHI: Air India Express' cabin crew union has alleged unfair labour practices by the airline, including in issuance of charge sheets to its members, and sought the intervention of the labour commissioner to resolve the issues. The Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), which is affiliated with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, has written a letter to the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) in this regard.

The communication also comes at a time when conciliation proceedings are going on before the CLC (C) on the disputes between the cabin crew members and the airline management.

The union has alleged that the management is adopting various measures that are not conducive to creating good industrial relations.

"... their actions are spoiling the industrial relations already affected by their unfair labour practices and violations of labour legislation," it claimed in the letter dated June 28.

There was no comment from Air India Express.

Among other issues, the union has claimed that charge sheets have been issued to the cabin crew who had availed sick leave from May 6 to 8 and that enquiry is being initiated against selected union members.

On May 7, around 200 cabin crew members of Tata Group-owned Air India Express went on strike to protest against the alleged mismanagement at the airline, resulting in the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

Consequently, the airline management terminated the services of 25 cabin crew members and warned the others to join work or else face the same action.

On May 9, the strike was called off after a conciliation meeting between the representatives of the union and the management convened by the CLC (C). The termination letters were also withdrawn later.

In the letter on June 28, the union claimed that the issues had occurred "due to the monopoly and adamancy behaviour of the management" and sought the intervention of the CLC (C).