as striking pilots refused to return to work for the third day ignoring stern warning of sacking by the management and the Delhi High Court’s decision to initiate contempt proceedings against them.
The AI management ordered the pilots to report for duty failing which it said the airline “is at liberty to take any action as deemed fit including termination of services”.
According to Air India Sources, the management is preparing a list of pilots who are not on duty without any intimation and will initiate action against them tomorrow morning. Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court had also initiated contempt proceedings against the striking pilots for defying its order to resume work.
“This is without prejudice to any further action management may take under any other law of the land,” a notice by the management to the agitators said on Friday.
Tougher options of clamping Essential Services Maintenance Act and a lockout were also being mulled, official sources said.
The management has so far terminated the services of seven pilots and suspended six others.
Taking strong exception to the agitating pilots defying its order to resume work immediately, the Delhi High Court decided to initiate contempt proceedings against them.
Ignoring the threat, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) leaders said they would continue their strike till the management gave an assurance that they were willing to resolve the issues in a time-bound manner.
“We are more than willing to call off the strike if the government is ready to look into the issues we have raised,” ICPA General Secretary Rishabh Kapur said in Mumbai.
