Pilots working for Jet Airways, India’s largest full-service airline, did not show up for a meeting between them and the company management, which was scheduled in order to conduct talks regarding a pay hike.
The pilots are protesting against a company decision to freeze all pay hikes for the current financial year. In a report by The Economic Times, a Jet Airways spokesperson was quoted as saying that the talks have now come to a “grinding halt”.
Jet Airways’ decision to not increase any of its pilots’ pay this year comes on account of the company’s financially stressed position.
Discontent among pilots working for the Etihad-owned airline has been around for some time now. In April, the pilots wrote to the company threatening to boycott expatriate pilots after one expat pilot had a tiff with one of the Indian trainers.
“Since the sanctity of past documents is not being maintained, we see no point in holding discussions on any other issues. We, therefore, are unable to attend the consultative group meeting called for by the management on 26 April and have referred the matter to our parent body, the National Aviators’ Guild, which will decide the further course," said the pilots in their latest note to the Jet Airways management, according to the report.
The pilots are now looking for legal recourse ‘on the wage freeze’ as well as ‘the one-sided service bond’ that is mandatory for new first officers.
“Further, we will be raising the issue with DGCA and petitioning it to waive the 6 month notice period… The management cannot deny employees their legitimate expectations," the pilots said in their note.
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