AAI employees union observes lunch-hour protest against reduction in allowances

New Delhi: The Joint Forum of Unions and Association of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) observed a lunch-hour protest on Tuesday against a possible reduction in allowances and perks of the employees. The union fears that the management will reduce employees' allowances in order to realise curtailment in the company's overall expenditure. AAI has more than 17,000 employees on board.

The joint forum claims it was a nationwide protest which is set to intensify on July 7 if the management goes ahead on the decision of reduction in allowances and perks of the AAI employees. The association said that the employees are already struggling financially in view of the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Curtailment in perks and allowances will further increase their difficulties.

The forum wrote a letter to AAI management on July 5 saying that if the board meeting scheduled for July 7 to defer perks and allowances of these employees is not cancelled, all the union employees will hold lunch hour demonstrations.

The letter was signed by Balraj Singh Ahlawat, general secretary of the Airport Authority Employee Union (AAEU).

"Joint Forum of AAI shall refrain from holding lunch hour demonstrations if management defers the Board meeting which is going to be held on July 7, 2021, to take a decision on perks and allowances deferment," Ahlawat said in the letter.

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However, A GM level officer of the AAI has confirmed that the demands of employees are "already under consideration."

Now that the board meeting is set to take place on July 7, what is going to be the next course of action for the union? Balraj Singh Ahlawat was not available to respond to this. PSU Watch tried to reach out to him over the phone at the time of releasing the news.

Currently, the Airports Authority of India has around 17,000 employees across the country.

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