Thaindian News

Mumbai, Sep 12 (IANS) The Jet Airways management began another round of talks with their pilots here Saturday even as the carrier was forced to cancel 180 flights since morning because of the agitation.
Those at the talks from Jet Airways include executive director Saroj Dutta and chief executive officer Hafiz Ali, while the members of the newly formed National Aviators Guild, Girish Kaushik and Sam Thomas, are representing the pilots.

Their eight-hour marathon talks in New Delhi Friday that was on till late evening in the presence of Chief Labour Commissioner S.K. Mukhopadhyay remained inconclusive, as neither side was willing to give up its stand.

The pilots are demanding the reinstatement of four of their colleagues who, they said, were sacked because of their role in forming a new union to represent them. They also want the airline management to recognise the new union.

Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress MP from Maharashtra Sanjay Nirupam, who were among those who sought to mediate between the two sides, had said Friday that the stand-off will end within 48 hours.

During the impasse, as many as 1,058 flights had to be cancelled since Tuesday, causing inconvenience to thousands of passengers, especially during the first two days of the agitation — when the pilots started reporting “sick”.

The airline management had also moved the Bombay High Court, which passed an order Wednesday, restraining the pilots from resorting to any form of agitation. Subsequently, the airline also filed a contempt petition, slated to be heard Monday.

The government also sought to intervene in a limited manner when Home Secretary G.K. Pillai asked the states to examine if they can invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act.