Air India Pilots Write To Ratan Tata Seeking Intervention Over Salary Issue

Air India, on April 17, rolled out a revamped compensation structure for its pilots and cabin crew, which has since been rejected by the two pilot unions.

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Air India pilots, who are up in arms against the airline's management's decision to unilaterally alter their salary structure and services conditions, on Tuesday sought Ratan Tata's intervention in resolving the issue. In a petition, signed by a little over 1,500 Air India pilots, the community alleged that the "pilots' concerns are not being heard or addressed by the current HR team".

On April 17, Air India rolled out a revamped compensation structure for its pilots and cabin crew, which has since been rejected by the two pilot unions - Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) and Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) - on the grounds that the airline, in alleged violation of the labour practices, did not consult them before finalising the new contracts.

The two unions also urged their members not to sign/accept the revised contract and salary structure. Air India, which remained under government control for close to seven decades, was taken over by Tata Group in late January 2022.

In their petition, the pilots claimed that their morale is low and they are not being treated with "respect and dignity" by the present management and this could have a negative impact on their ability to perform duties.

"We have always been committed to Air India's success and have gone above and beyond to ensure that we provide our passengers with the best possible experience," the pilots said in the petition.

The pilots also said that they understand the challenges being faced by the airline are complex and added that "we are committed to working with the company to find solutions that will benefit all stakeholders".

"However, we feel that our concerns are not being heard or addressed by the current HR team. We are therefore respectfully requesting your assistance in addressing these issues," the pilots said in the petition.

As the Chairman Emeritus of Air India, "we believe that your benevolent leadership can help us to find a solution that is fair and respectful to all parties involved", they added.