Early union response to appeal for solidarity with pilots in India

Unions around the world are standing up for the labour rights of pilots in India, a day after the ITF sent out an appeal for solidarity.

unions around the world to show solidarity with 10 pilots who were sacked from their jobs at Jet Airways after they set up a union. It urged affiliates organising in Jet Airways destination airports around the world to write protest letters to the company, demanding that it revoke the dismissal notices and expressing support for the pilots and their union.

First to be dismissed were general secretary D Balaraman and joint secretary Sam Thomas of the National Aviators Guild; they lost their jobs shortly after the union was registered in July. At the end of August, ITF general secretary David Cockroft warned Jet Airways’ chief executive officer Wolfgang Prock-Schauer that the dismissals were illegal; despite this, further sackings took place and the dispute has continued.

The ITF has today received reports that more than 30 unions across all sectors and countries, representing a quarter of a million transport workers, have already sent letters of protest through the ITF’s website.

Meanwhile ITF affiliates across India have been rallying behind the pilots, as have the eight leading national trade union centres.

ITF Asia Pacific regional secretary Mahendra Sharma commented: “We are pleased with this show of support and know that the pilots will appreciate it.”

ITF civil aviation section secretary Gabriel Mocho added: “We continue to urge more unions to back the campaign – it is extremely important that we bring further pressure to bear on Jet Airways to challenge its anti-union stance.”