February 5: Severe infighting has begun among various employees' unions of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), even as the AAI management has been accused of adopting double standards and favouritism towards the Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs).The National Airports Authority Officers' Association (NAAOA) has threatened a `total tool-down protest' from Saturday to demand immediate solutions to their long-standing issues.
NAAOA regional secretary V Mohan said the officers engaged in crucial route navigational facilities and radar and communication maintenance work at airports will resort to a `work-to-rule' agitation for two days starting today. ``In case the management doesn't respond favourably, we will begin a total tool-down protest from Saturday,'' he said. The drastic action has been planned to protest the arbitrary decisions taken by the AAI management to settle the outrageous demands of the ATCs, while neglecting the long-standing issues of the NAAOA.
The AAI had signed a Memorandum ofUnderstanding with the NAAOA on December 24, 1997, and agreed to release the proficiency allowance and other perks immediately. Mohan said, ``The management had assured further discussions with us on February 15, 1998, but the scheduled meeting was cancelled at the eleventh hour.''
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
