Air India staff unions hit social media against disinvestment plan

Mumbai: Worried over possible job losses post disinvestment, as many as 11 Air India unions representing more than 10,000 employees have taken to Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook to protest against the stake sale plan.

Messages and graphics with Save Air India slogan are being posted on various social media platforms. People are also being urged through WhatsApp messages to raise their voice against the strategic disinvestment of the national carrier, according to union representatives.

As part of efforts to revive the loss-making Air India, the government has kicked off the stake sale process and has issued a detailed preliminary information memorandum wherein it has proposed to sell 76 percent stake and cede management control to private players.

Even though there have been discussions at different points of time among the government, Air India management and various employees unions, concerns over the future of staff at the airline as well as the subsidiaries continue to remain. Against this backdrop, a joint forum of 11 Air India employees unions, including those from various subsidiaries, are now resorting to social media engagements to put across their concerns to the larger public, policy makers and elected representatives about the stake sale proposal.

Apart from traditional ways of protest like lunch hour meetings and wearing badges, the forum has started using Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram platforms to reach out to employees across stations and solicit their support, according to a member of the forum. The employees are also being encouraged to write blogs with regard to Air India disinvestment as there are concerns over possible job losses, the member added.

The 11 unions -- that represent more than 10,000 employees of Air India group -- are vehemently opposing the proposal to sell 76 percent government stake in Air India, 100 percent shareholding in Air India Express and its 50 percent stake in equal joint venture AISATS. The forum comprises Air Corporations Employees Union, All India Service Engineers Associations, Air India Employees Union, Aviation Industry Employee Guild, Air India Aircraft Engineers Association, All India Aircraft Engineers Association, Air India Engineers Association, United Air India Officers Association, All India Cabin Crew Association, All India Airline Retired Personnel Association and Indian Aircraft Technicians Association. Pilots groupings -- Indian Pilots Guild and Indian Commercial Pilots Association -- are said to be in support of disinvestment provided their salary dues and other arrears are cleared, according to sources at the airline.

These unions have already held lunch hour meetings at four places, including at Old Airport in Kalina in the Western Santacruz suburb of Mumbai against the privatisation and have now called on their members to wear Save Air India badges from Monday to oppose the move.

As per the preliminary information memorandum, issued on March 28, the government would retain 24 percent stake in Air India while the winning bidder would be required to stay invested in the airline for at least three years.