Air India employee unions warn of protests if govt goes ahead with privatisation

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had earlier pitched for Air India's divestment saying it has a market share of 14 per cent whereas its debt is Rs 50,000 crore.

A letter by the unions of Air India employees to the government warns of large scale protests if the proposal to privatise the airline is approved.

The letter, collectively written by AI Air Corporate Employees Union, AI Employees Union, AI Aircraft Engineers' Association, United Air India Officers' Association, AI Engineer's Association, AI Cabin Crew Association and AI Service Engineers' Association, states that their employees are "agitated and apprehensive" over the issue, reported PTI.

Raising concerns over the job losses due to the proposed move, the letter says that the move to privatise would lead to 'industrial unrest and disharmony'.

The Air India employees union even on June 1 called the government's proposal to privatise the national carrier as 'unilateral and arbitrary' and threatened to launch a campaign to oppose the move.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had earlier pitched for Air India's divestment saying it has a market share of 14 per cent whereas its debt is Rs 50,000 crore. Following this, the civil aviation ministry said it was looking at all possible alternatives to make the airline viable.

Air India has been surviving on a Rs 30,000 crore bail- out package spread over 10 years announced by the Manmohan Singh government in 2012.

OneIndia News