Trinamool's Derek O'Brien writes to Aviation Min over Air India's 'arbitrary' LWP scheme

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O'Brien on Sunday wrote a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri over the approval of the recent compulsory leave without pay (LWP) scheme which has been approved by the Air India Limited's Board of Directors earlier this week.

Expressing his dissent again the scheme, Derek O' Brien said that this was 'a sharp contrast' from the Centre's earlier advisories to offices regarding mandatory payment of workers amid lockdown calling it 'unprecedented in the history of PSUs in India.' 

"The Ministry has shown a complete lack of empathy and a refusal to acknowledge the selfless service of the employees of Air India during the COVID-19 pandemic," he said calling the process of formulating this scheme 'undemocratic', given that Air India employees were still awaiting their salaries for their previous months of work. 

Demanding the Centre to immediately roll back the 'inhuman scheme', the TMC MP asked the government to ensure timely payment of salaries as well. 

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The TMC has strongly voiced their opinion against this scheme. Earlier, TMC Supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had slammed the Centre over the move saying "What's happening in the country? I've never heard of this. Will not the Constitution come into play in this case? I am really shocked. How can they snatch the democratic rights of the people? Five years on leave without pay and after five years where will they go." 

Air India Thursday said it has started the process of identifying its permanent employees, on the basis of various factors like efficiency, health and redundancy, who will be sent on compulsory leave without pay (LWP) for six months to 2 years which could be extended up to five years. Already in the red with mounting losses, pre-COVID, the state-run carrier is now looking towards a massive downsizing in staff.

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