The dispute between Air India and its agitating pilots reached another stalemate on Wednesday with the national carrier refusing to entertain their demand that an external independent committee consider the issue of their reinstatement rather than an internal high-level committee.
Air India submitted before the court that it was willing to withdraw the suit filed against the pilots who had gone on strike and that the high-level committee formed by it, comprising senior members of the AI management, will “sympathetically” work on the issue of reinstatement of 101 sacked pilots.
The national carrier, however, refused to budge when the pilots demanded that in the committee comprising two directors and one executive director of the airline, an external independent member, preferably a retired judge of Supreme Court or high court, decide upon their reinstatement.
“It is an internal matter of Air India and our own management is there to take disciplinary action. There has already been enough bargaining (with the pilots). We cannot let an external committee interfere in our internal affairs,” senior advocate Lalit Bhasin, appearing for AI management, contended before Justice Reva Khetrapal.
As the counsel for the pilots said they had objections to the internal high-level committee, Justice Khetrapal agreed with the two options put forward by the pilots before Air India. She said the airline could either withdraw the suit on the condition that the committee for reinstatement of the sacked pilots would be headed by a person independent of AI, or the suit could go on till a decision is reached on the issue of reinstatement.
The counsel for AI, however, told the court that if the sacked pilots would not agree that the high-level committee formed earlier look into the issue of their reinstatement, then the airline would not withdraw the suit against them. “I am withdrawing the proposal to withdraw the suit. Let the legal proceedings continue,” he said. Justice Khetrapal asked the pilots to respond to the proposals put forward by AI by July 23.
The court also asked the AI management to pay the salaries of pilots who claimed they were not paid for February and March despite having worked during that period. “At least some amount of the salary must be released to them so that they can make ends meet,” the court directed the airline.