In a joint representation, they also sought reinstatement of all the employees who were sacked or suspended by the management, following a strike by the two unions last month. The appeal comes a month after the NACIL management cracked the whip on the Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) and All India Aircraft Engineers Association (AIAEA) by derecognising them and sacking their leaders.
The unions had struck work to protest a gag order barring them from airing their grievances before the media. Of NACIL's 30,000-strong workforce, ACEU and AIAEA accounted for over 11,000 employees.
"Subsequent to our verbal appeal, we all once again appeal to you to kindly review the termination letters issued to leaders/members of the Air Corporation Employees Union and the All India Aircraft Engineers Association," the joint representation, signed by the nine NACIL unions and addressed to Chairman and Managing Director Arvind Jadhav, said.
Copies of the representation were also sent to the Prime Minister's Office, Civil Aviation Minister and Civil Aviation Secretary, besides several politicians cutting across party lines. Assuring the management that the unions and associations in the company would continue to play an active role in its turnaround plan, the representation said, "It is our firm belief that with the co-operation of all employees, we shall together achieve the objective of turning around Air India."
Air India's management had sacked 54 employees, including the top leaders of the two unions, and suspended 24 others immediately after the Delhi High Court stayed the strike. As around 139 flights were cancelled due to non-availability of staff, the two-day agitation resulted in the airline incurring a loss of Rs 10 crore.
The unions that signed the representation include the Indian Pilots' Guild, Indian Commercial Pilots' Association, Air India Aircraft Engineers' Association, Aviation Industry Employees' Guild, Air India Officers' Association and Indian Airlines Officers' Association, among others.