The process of privatization of Air India is still going on. In such a situation, the government has banned the selected facilities available to the employees of the company for a fixed time.
Public Relations Webdesk. Due to the privatization of the bankrupt company Air India, the employees working in the company are already worried about their rights. At the same time, now they are going to get another setback. In fact, the government can rein in some facilities available to the employees. Since the new owners of Air India, which is the top priority for disinvestment this year, they can introduce new terms and compensation provisions for the employees. The process of privatization of the airline company is still going on, so there may be a change in the rights given to the employees.
Therefore, the government has limited the benefits to the employees till the time they prepare a blueprint for the privatization of other public sector companies. However, the Air India Employees Union had filed a petition in the Civil Aviation Ministry in this regard that the medical scheme, provident fund and leave encashment for service and retired employees should be continued in its present form even after privatization. It was argued on their behalf that this is for the betterment of the employees.
Let us inform that till now the employees of Air India were getting many facilities, including free tickets including health and provident fund scheme etc. Although the number of free tickets that could be issued in a year was fixed, it was given beyond the immediate family which usually includes employees, spouse and dependent children.
Workers and employees believe that they joined the company on the basis of these facilities and act on the assumption that the terms of the contract will remain unchanged. But the entire process has been delayed beyond the target date for privatization and some other aspects are still being decided which is hurting the employees. A senior official told TOI that the company is to be privatized during the current financial year. In such a situation, after approval of the demand for grant, it will get Rs 1,900 crore afresh. The Center aims to invite financial bids in September. The government wants that all the processes should be completed in the current financial year. “It may take a little longer, but some of the issues settled here will be used in the case of other companies which will be privatized in the coming months,” the senior official said.
