MUMBAI, Nov 18: The Bombay High Court has restrained the Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) from striking work following failure of talks with the Indian Airlines' management. The ACEU, the non-technical workmen's union, had threatened to go on strike from November 16 midnight.

Talks with the airline management held on that day failed following which the IA moved Justice D G Deshpande at his residence at 7.15 pm. The judge granted an ad-interim injunction restraining the union from resorting to any disruptive demonstration, including a strike. The union opposed the company's decision to close down the booking office at Kala Ghoda.

The company attributed the closure to office re-organisation. But the union sent a notice to the company, threatening strike on or before November 27. The judge observed, ``The strike will result in complete halt of airline services. As a large number of passengers have made their bookings, the disruption will harm the public at large, apart from the irreparable revenue loss to the airline.'' He added: ``The union threatened to pre-pone the strike due to failure of negotiations. On such threat being issued, the airline is left with no other alternative but to file the present suit.''

According to the petition filed by the airline, the union is bound to consider the implications of working for a public undertaking, especially a national carrier.The company claimed that closure of the booking office will have no bearing on the careers of the staff, as alleged by the union. The company also said the union was threatening to undertake go-slow tactics to disrupt the functioning at the sensitive business zones and the airport terminal.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.