Union Threatens Industrial Action Over Jet Airways Issue

Mumbai: Even as grounded Jet Airways completes its 26th anniversary, the Shiv Sena-affiliated Bharatiya Kamgar Sena has threatened industrial action at the Mumbai airport if the airline's employees are not paid their due salaries.

According to the union, the financial plight of Jet's employees has forced it to stage a protest at the Mumbai airport starting Monday. 

"Please note that looking at the woes of Jet Airways employees, our members employed at Mumbai airport are extremely agitated and if no justice done to these employees, may resort to industrial action on their own accord and will lead to adverse impact on the aviation industry," said Suryakant Mahadik, President of Bharatiya Kamgar Sena, in a letter to the senior Union Ministers. 

Currently, the airline's employees, lessors and vendors face daunting financial challenges due to non-payment of salaries and dues.

"Over the last few months all of us are silent spectators of the suffering of Jet Airways employees. All of them have not been paid their salaries by M/s Jet Airways for 2 to 6 months," the letter read.

"To add (to) their miseries, with effect from May 1, 2019 their mediclaim facilities have also been withdrawn with option given to them to take personal mediclaim."

At present, the fate of the airline, formed on May 5, 1993, hangs in balance, as domestic lenders have called for binding bids from potential investors by May 10 to sell a sizeable stake in the company.

Last month, Jet was forced to announce a temporary suspension of all flight services as it was unable to maintain even bare minimum operations.

Prior to temporarily suspending all flight services, Jet had already folded up most of its operations due to grounding of around 90% of its fleet by lessors, as its consortium of lenders refused to extend loans to the airline.