Jet Airways pilots union - National Aviators Guild - has sent a legal notice to CEO Vinay Dube, asking for salary arrears to be paid by April 14, failing which they will 'resort to all constitutional and legal methods available" to ensure payment.
The notice highlighted that the pilots haven't been paid for three months, from January, and are facing "extreme stress, anxiety and frustration", which can lead to a major safety issue.
The notice comes after the union had earlier threatened to go on a strike from April 1, but had deferred it to April 15, after the December salary dues were settled.
Last week, the distressed airline had deferred March salary for all its employees, signally a further deterioration in its financial health. The company owes banks over Rs 8,000 crore, and is flying 26 of its 119 aircraft.
The lenders, led by State Bank of India, have initiated the bidding process, and have called for expression of interest from bidders. The deadline to submit EoI is April 10.
"This situation is leading to extreme stress, anxiety and frustration amongst my client’s member pilots - hardly an ideal situation for pilots in the cockpit. Monthly EMIs have to be met, school & college fees paid, along with medical bills of ageing parents etc. etc..," the notice said.
It added:
"Each month the pilots are left (a). juggling to meet these monthly commitments; & (b). worried about the future months as the salary arrears just keep building. It hardly needs to be stated that passenger safety – the prime concern of all in the industry – requires pilots who are flying stress-free and with a free mind..."
The notice reminded Dube that the union had earlier written to him on April 2, but has not received a reply yet.
It concluded:
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