Union squawk

Saturdays crash of Air India Express Flight IX 812 at Mangalores Bajpe airport was a big human tragedy and the countrys first civil aviation disaster in a decade. The flight commander happened to be an expatriate pilot. But it is sadly unsurprising,if in terribly poor taste,that the Indian Commercial Pilots Association,Air Indias pilot union,has chosen this precise moment to write to the prime minister attacking not just the capability of foreign pilots working for Indian airlines but Air Indias all-round safety records.

What sort of employees will choose a moment like this to undercut public confidence in their employer? Only those with a manifest sense of privilege,paid like the private sector yet convinced they are as immune to dismissal as anyone in the public sector. The ICPA has demonstrated its tendency earlier to seize upon any opportunity to push its pet concerns,no matter how selfish. It has now exploited an aviation accident to attempt to nobble competition,as if proscribing expat pilots will solve all aviation problems and safety issues. Not only is this a very wrong moment for the ICPA to bargain with its management for its own interests,but by doing so the ICPA has undercut its own argument and exposed its motives.

The brunt of the ICPAs thrust is against expat pilots. Why does the ICPA ignore AIs abysmal work ethics as a whole,and the absurdity of pilots,some of the best paid professionals in the country,calling themselves workmen and indulging in strikes? Because that would be judgment,a harsh one,on itself. The ICPA should respect the gravity of what happened on Saturday and not put the blame on political interference every time. Otherwise,a grieving nation would see only too well how unions,albeit a five-star trade union in this case,never desist from utilising others sorrow to grab their goodies.