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Airport staff threaten “non-cooperation”

NEW DELHI: The Airports Authority Employees’ Union has threatened to launch a “non-cooperation movement” from Tuesday midnight if it does not get any response from the Union government on its demand for keeping the existing Bangalore and Hyderabad airports open even after the new greenfield airports become operational.

The AAEU representatives along with leaders of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions M. K. Pandhe and Dipankar Mukherjee met Civil Aviation secretary Ashok Chawla, its joint secretary K. N. Shrivastava and Airports Authority of India chairman K. Ramalingam on Monday.

The delegation urged the Ministry officials not to close operations at the old airports in Bangalore and Hyderabad. As per the agreement, the existing airports in both the metros are to be closed down once the new greenfield airports begin operations.

“A lot of things were discussed at the meeting but nothing could be achieved. The government did not give us any justification for its stand [of closing down the existing airports]. So many agreements have been reviewed by the NDA as well as the UPA government. Why can’t they review this agreement?” asked AAEU general secretary M.K. Ghoshal.

“We have not opposed the coming up of the new greenfield airports, but we want a level-playing field. We sought three months’ time from the government. As it is, an Action Taken Report after tabling of the report by the Parliamentary Committee has to be submitted within three months. We can also examine our position during this period.

“The government has neither accepted nor rejected our demand. We will wait for a reply from the government till Tuesday midnight. If we do not get any positive response, all the staff at the 126 airports across the country will launch the non-cooperation movement,” he asserted.

Last month, the AAEU held a relay hunger-strike at all the airports across the country to press its demands. Apart from several employees-related issues, its major demands include a re-look at the shutting down of existing airports at Bangalore and Hyderabad.

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