Air India Express Cabin Crew Union Accuses Management of Unfair Labour Practices

The Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU) has lodged serious allegations of unfair labour practices against the airline’s management, sparking a contentious dispute that has now drawn the attention of the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central).

In a letter dated June 28th, the union, affiliated with Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, accused the management of Air India Express of exacerbating industrial relations through actions that violate established labour laws.

Central to the union’s grievances are claims of indiscriminate issuance of charge sheets to cabin crew members who had taken sick leave from May 6th to 8th. Additionally, the union alleges that targeted disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against select members, further straining already fragile relations between the management and the workforce.

The discord between the two parties reached a critical juncture on May 7th, when approximately 200 cabin crew members, employed by Tata Group-owned Air India Express, staged a strike in protest against what they perceive as mismanagement within the airline.

This mass action led to the cancellation of numerous flights, disrupting operations significantly. In response to the strike, the airline management took drastic measures, terminating the services of 25 cabin crew members and cautioning others to resume duties promptly or face similar repercussions.

The union’s letter to the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) underscored these incidents as outcomes of what they described as the management’s “monopoly and adamancy behavior.”

Amid ongoing conciliation proceedings overseen by the CLC (C), the AIXEU has called upon the labour commissioner to intervene decisively. They argue that the management’s actions not only undermine industrial harmony but also contravene fundamental labour rights and regulatory safeguards.