AI Express cabin crew call off strike

New Delhi : Air India Express cabin crew on Thursday decided to withdraw their strike and the airline agreed to reinstate 25 staff members who were terminated from service, according to sources. A section of the cabin crew started reporting sick from Tuesday night to protest against the alleged mismanagement at the airline, forcing cancellation of more than 170 flights and impacting thousands of passengers at various airports.

The decisions to end the strike and withdraw the termination letters were agreed upon during a conciliation meeting. The representatives of cabin crew and the airline management at the Office of the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) met in the national capital on Thursday. The meeting, which went on for nearly five hours, was between representatives of Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU) and airline management. The union is affiliated to the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), an associate of the RSS. After the meeting, Girish Chandra Arya, All India Secretary of the BMS, said the termination of 25 cabin crew of Air India Express has been withdrawn. Both parties will discuss the issues and there will be a meeting again on May 28, he said.

After detailed discussion, persuasion and on appeal of the Conciliation Officer and the Chief Labour Commissioner, the union representatives agreed that "all the cabin crew members who have reported sick will report for duty with fitness certificate immediately, according to a document signed by the representatives of the union and the airline.