NEW DELHI - Jet Airways’ planes remained grounded for the fourth day Friday as a marathon meet between the management and the striking pilots failed to reach an agreement.
A labour ministry official said the talks, which went on over eight hours in the presence of Chief Labour Commissioner S.K. Mukhopadhyay, remained inconclusive as neither side was willing to give up its stand.
The pilots have demanded reinstatement of their four colleagues who were sacked and recognition of their union called the National Aviators Guild (NAG). The management is willing to take back the sacked employees but with a rider that the pilot’s union be dismantled.
A top Jet Airways official said the meet was inconclusive due to emerging divisions among the pilots.
But NAG president Captain Girish Kaushik said the pilots were united in their stand against the management. He told reporters that talks had failed to reach an agreement as they needed more time.
He said the talks would continue in Mumbai Saturday.
The conciliation meeting was attended by Jet’s executive director Saroj Dutta and chief executive officer Hafiz Ali while the NAG was represented by Captain Kaushik and Captain Sam Thomas - one of the four sacked pilots.
Earlier in the day, Civil Aviation Secretary M. Madhavan Nambiar met representatives of all airlines and asked them to increase their flights till the Jet imbroglio is settled.
It is also a matter of serious concern that airlines are charging higher fares due to the Jet problem. We have received complaints in this regard. The letters have already been issued to the airlines not to hike fares, Nambiar told reporters.
He stated that the airlines have assured him that they would reschedule and make available flights where the passenger traffic is high.
Jet Airways cancelled some 170 flights Friday but also started booking tickets for travel from Sep 13.
Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress MP from Maharashtra Sanjay Nirupam, who were among those who sought to mediate between the two sides, said late Thursday that the impasse would end within 48 hours.
In the four days since the pilots started their mass sick leave, over 850 flights have been cancelled and inconvenienced several thousand passengers, especially during its first two days.
The Jet Airways management moved the Bombay High Court, which passed an order Wednesday restraining the pilots from resorting to any form of agitation pending its final order.
Subsequently, the airline also filed a contempt petition, which is slated to be heard Monday.
The Jet Airways management as also some sections of the employees have been asking the pilots to hold talks to resolve matters rather than abstaining from work - but with little luck so far.
“We’re going through a recession. Our salaries will be delayed due to the strike as the airline is already undergoing losses,” said Jagjeet Kaur, a customer care executive with the carrier.
Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal had earlier said the pilots were behaving like “terrorists” and warned of stern action if their stir persisted. At the same time, he offered to hold talks with them.
The government also sought to intervene in a limited manner when Home Secretary G.K. Pillai asked the states to examine if they can invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act.
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