Pilots strike enters seventh day, ICPA writes to PM
May 3rd, 2011 - 1:17 pm ICT by ANI
New Delhi, May 3 (ANI): With the Air India pilots’ strike entering its seventh day on Tuesday, the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association has asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene in the matter immediately.
The missive to Dr. Singh was sent even as Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi, said the government will talk to the striking pilots only after they end their agitation and report to work.
The government would wait and abide by the court’s order in the Contempt of Court proceeding initiated on the plea of the Air India management, he added.
On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court asked striking Air India pilots to take a decision on resuming their work, warning ‘this strike will not see another day’.
A division bench of Justices B D Ahmed and Beena Birbal, which heard a plea for initiation of contempt proceedings against the striking pilots, said: “You call off the strike, we will press the management to consider your demand. This strike will not see another day.”
The Delhi High Court had earlier directed pilots on strike to go back to work by 5 p.m. last Friday, but over 800 pilots defied court orders.
The three pilots, who are facing contempt charges, include Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) President A S Bhinder and General Secretary Rishabh Kapoor.
Earlier, the airlines management sent an SMS appeal to the striking pilots to come back to the negotiating table.
Air India Chairman and Managing Director Arvind Jadhav in his message said that allegations of corruption levelled by the ICPA would be probed.
The ICPA is demanding a probe into various decisions taken by Jadhav, including a land transfer deal at the Mumbai airport.
Over 800 pilots of the ICPA, who belonged to the Indian Airlines and were employed by Air India after the merger of the two carriers in 2007, have been on an indefinite strike since April 27 demanding pay parity.
The ICPA claims that while Air India pilots enjoy a huge fixed salary component, the same is almost minuscule for former IA pilots in 2007. (ANI)
- Pilots' strike will not see another day, rules Delhi High Court - May 02, 2011
- Pilots' strike: Delhi High Court to hear contempt case - May 02, 2011
- Second round of talks between Govt. and striking pilots today - May 05, 2011
- Pilots strike: Delhi HC issues contempt notice to nine ICPA officers - May 03, 2011
- Delhi High Court pulls up striking Air India pilots - May 03, 2011
- Air India pilots still on strike, ready to go to jail - Apr 29, 2011
- Delhi HC pulls up Air India for not solving pilots wage issue - Apr 27, 2011
- Air India threatens to sack pilots who do not return to work by 5 p.m. today - Apr 29, 2011
- Strike is against corruption in Air India, say protesting pilots - Apr 27, 2011
- Air India sacks six striking pilots - Apr 27, 2011
- Pilots still on strike, over 50 Air India flights cancelled - Apr 28, 2011
- Court livid as Air India pilots' stir grounds 185 more flights - May 03, 2011
- AI striking pilots now question Arvind Jadhav - Apr 30, 2011
- Pilots' strike: Air India to operate only 40 flights - May 01, 2011
- Stalemate between Air India management, striking pilots continues - Apr 30, 2011
Tags: air india, birbal, commercial pilots, contempt charges, contempt of court, contempt proceedings, court proceeding, delhi high court, division bench, indefinite strike, indian airlines, jadhav, manmohan singh, mumbai airport, pilots strike, prime minister manmohan, prime minister manmohan singh, rishabh, striking pilots, vayalar ravi