AI union threatens another strike from June 12

Air Corporation Employees Union accused Air India management of conspiring to instigate trouble.

The Air Corporation Employees Union ACEU,which spearheaded the two-day strike in Air India,on Thursday threatened another such action from June 12 charging the management with conspiring to instigate trouble and later declare a lockout in the national carrier.

8220;Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav is carrying out dictatorship. He is bent on destroying the airline. He is trying to instigate the workers to go for action and then declare a lockout on that pretext,8221; ACEU General Secretary J B Kadiyan told reporters here.

8220;This is a conspiracy,8221; he said,adding that the union has served another strike notice from June 12.

In an unprecedented action,Air India sacked a total of 58 employees including union leaders,suspended another 24 and de-recognised two unions which led the stir 8211; ACEU and All India Aircraft Engineers8217; Association.

Claiming that the management initiated disciplinary proceedings 8220;immediately after we signed the conciliation proceedings last evening8221;,Kadiyan said 8220;the employees who did not join the strike were also served termination notices8221;.

8220;We withdrew our strike on a personal appeal by Chief Labour Commissioner S K Mukhopadhyay and in the interest of the company,8221; the ACEU leader said,adding that all offices of ACEU and All India Aircraft Engineers Association across the country were sealed through the night.

8220;Our offices have not only been sealed but management representatives have tampered with our records and even taken away some of them. How shall we fight the court battle when we don8217;t have any record? How can we function,8221; he said.

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8220;Our records have been sealed and we cannot take any legal remedy. We can8217;t reply to the notices issued by the court,8221; Kadiyan said.

The unions had gone on a flash strike protesting against a 8216;gag order8217; on members for talking to the media after Saturday8217;s air crash in Mangalore and 8216;delay8217; in payment of salaries. The management,however,clarified there is only one general circular and that there was no 8216;gag order8221;.

The strike was called off yesterday after the Delhi High Court restrained the agitating employees from continuing the stir and the government talked tough giving a free hand to the management to deal with them.