HC asks Centre not to evict AI staff from official quarters

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday passed an interim injunction restraining the Centre from evicting the Air India employees from housing accommodations after disinvestment.

Justice V Parthiban issued the direction after hearing a plea by Air Corporation Employees’ Union seeking direction to the Centre to stop the disinvestment process that was initiated without holding talks with the union.

The union represented by its president G Udhayasankar contended that the government should have protected the service conditions of the 20,000 Air India employees before deciding to disinvest the airline.

When his counsel R Vaigai prayed not to proceed with the eviction of employees from the housing facilities, the judge granted the injunction, and added that the Centre should not stop any medical facilities. The court directed the Centre to file a counter-affidavit returnable on January 7.

The petitioner added that the Union government also failed to settle several issues, including the security till the age of 58 years, wage revision, irregularities in the basic pay of cabin crew, stagnation of employees in officer cadre (Grade 9) even after serving the organisation for more than 20 years, encashment of sick leave and privilege leave before deciding to sell the airline to the Tata group.

“As per the deed of recognition of the petitioner union dated September 15, 2015, the management should consult the union on matters pertaining to the wage structure, service conditions and all other issues affecting the interests of regular non-managerial employees of the company before entering into the disinvestment process,” he submitted.