Air India staff mulls voluntary retirement (VRS) en masse

New Delhi: With the airline management remaining non-committal over leave encashment to employees in case of privatisation, a section of Air India staff has mooted the proposal to take voluntary retirement (VRS) en masse.

A union leader told IANS that the idea is being discussed with the members and a final call would be taken after the management’s response on various issues raised with them.

“We are entitled for 300 days’ leave encashment. While we remain opposed to privatisation, we have given a memorandum to the company management on protecting employee benefits in case the airline is sold. Many of our members at middle-level who have 2-3 years of service left find it beneficial to take VRS,” the union leader said.

The employees of sale-bound Air India fear that they would not be able to encash their leaves in case the airline is taken over by a private company.

“Assuming that an employee gets Rs 5 lakh in annual salary and is about to retire in a year, it makes sense for him to take VRS instead of continuing in the job under new management,” another Air India employee said. An infuriated staff said that those deciding the sale of Air India “get pensions, health benefits and housing but want to deprive us of all our entitlements”.

Air India has almost 11,000 employees on its rolls and has an average of 54 years. To be sure, the total number of employees does not include its other units and those on contract. (IANS)

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