Mumbai:
The debt-laden national carrier Air India is set for more troubles beginning next month with its employees, who have not been paid their dues for the past five months, on Thursday threatening to go on strike from April 2, as three rounds of talks with management failed.
The strike warning followed the demand of the unions for a written commitment from the management that it will clear the entire dues before April 1, union sources told Press Trust of India.
"As many as seven unions out of the 13 today had three rounds of meetings with the management here, but management could not give us a written commitment for full payment of our salaries and performance-linked incentives, which have not been paid for the past five months," union sources said.
"We are firm on our decision to go ahead with the strike from April 2, for which we have given notice months ago. We will reverse our decision only if our dues are cleared before April 1. We don't believe in any of verbal assurances from this management," a senior Indian Pilots Guild official said.
"All the major Air India unions, including those of the pilots, met the management this evening here and we have assured them to clear salaries and performance-linked incentives of one month next early month; and clear all arrears by May when the government will infuse money," Air India spokesperson told PTI.
The management also requested them not to strike as it will hurt the airline in the holiday season, the spokesperson said, adding "however, unions sounded adamant to go ahead with their proposed strike".
The official parried a query on whether the management was ready to give the unions a written commitment of payment.