Sena leadership has been misguided over affiliation: AIEU

Mumbai, July 24 (UNI) Terming the recent joining of the employees' union of Air India and Indian Airlines with the Shiv Sena-affiliated Bharatiya Kamgar Mahasangh (BKM) a bluff, Air India Employees Union (AIEU) today said the Sena leadership has been 'misguided' over the whole issue.

In a joint statement issued here, AIEU President Sharad Rao and secretary Satish Dhakoday said, ''Kiran Pawaskar of Bharatiya Kamgar Sena has fooled and misguided Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray by announcing that the so-called five trade unions of Air India have affiliated themselves to the BKM.'' According to the AIEU, Air India Cabin Crew Association and Air India Executive Cabin Crew Association are the unions under the Sena for more than last 16 years, and their re-joining Sena-affiliated union is simply a 'farce'.

''To our knowledge, Air India Service Engineers' Association and Air India Engineers Association are independent trade unions under diferent leadership, and none of their leaders have joined the Sena-backed union,'' the statement said.

The AIEU also announced the removal of R A B Mani from the Union membership with immediate effect for his alleged anti-union activities and aligning with the Sena-supported union.

On Sunday, Uddhav Thackeray had announced at a press conference at 'Shiv Sena Bhavan' that more than 33,000 employees' of Air India and Indian Airlines unions had joined hands with the BKM.

UNI