Low-cost carrier GoFirst has asked its protesting aircraft maintenance technicians to return to work by July 14 or risk being terminated after the airline's management met employees on "mass leave" in both Delhi and Mumbai on July 13.
Technicians Moneycontrol spoke to said the airline management has told them that their request for a salary hike is not being considered and if they continue to not report to work, their contracts will be terminated. Around 150 of GoFirst's employees reported sick on July 13, they said.
Technicians and cabin crew of GoFirst have been on "mass sick leave" for the last four days in multiple stations across India. The employees have asked the management to increase salaries and reimburse some technicians for working without pay between April 2020 and November 2021.
The employees have asked the airline to increase the salaries of junior technicians to Rs 30,000 a month from Rs 19,000 currently. Similarly, they have also sought a pay hike for senior technicians.
GoFirst, in response to emails sent by Moneycontrol, said the well-being of its employees has always been paramount and that there has been no general protest or agitation by technicians.
A GoFirst spokesperson also said that the airline has adequate technicians to manage the operations, and like any growing airline, it is constantly reviewing and recognising the present team and recruiting new talent.
"There are a few technicians who were absent for 2-3 days. We are in constant discussions with our employees and explaining the present situation and addressing all concerns," the spokesperson said.
The low-cost carrier added that during the course of discussions with its employees, it understood that they were misguided and after counselling, they are happy to take cognizance of the efforts of the airline amidst the volatile scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"A few people who had absented themselves from duties have assured us to resume from today or tomorrow," the spokesperson noted.
GoFirst also said that it has reinstated employees from “leave without pay” to normal working conditions and restored salaries to the pre-COVID level since September 2021.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in a statement on July 13 said aircraft maintenance technicians at IndiGo and GoFirst continue to remain on sick leave in protest against their low salaries.
The aviation regulator added that it hoped the situation will improve soon.
''We are closely monitoring the situation. As of now operations are normal. Hopefully, it will be resolved shortly,'' the DGCA said in the statement.
Protest by technicians of GoFirst started on July 10 in Delhi and then spread to Mumbai and Bengaluru on July 11.
The management of GoFirst has threatened to terminate the contracts of its technicians despite rising competition in the industry for skilled workers and at a time when the likes of Air India, Jet Airways and Akasa Air are looking to increase their workforce.
Furthermore, the country's largest airline IndiGo has also terminated some of its technicians who went on mass sick leave from July 8.
Market experts point out that though there is a shortage of professionals in the aviation industry including aircraft maintenance technicians, airlines in the country are not looking to increase salaries.
“I don’t see talent running to new airlines in a hurry. Indigo and Tata’s Air India will not lose any talent while SpiceJet and Go Air may lose as employees feel whatever happens they get their salaries on time at Air India and Indigo,” Praveen Paul, an aviation consultant said.
The grounding of Jet Airways in 2019 has also left a number of technicians jobless. Many of them are still looking for new jobs.
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