Captured by : Over 100 loaders of Indigo flight go on flash strike at Dabolim airport
...as Indigo flights loaders go on flash strike
Demand increase in salary which has remained stagnant for 6 years
the goan network
VASCO
On a day when Dabolim airport resumed full-scale flight operations, the loading and unloading of luggage on Indigo flights at the airport came to a grinding halt, after more than 100 loaders went on a flash strike on Monday morning.
The loaders, who were supposed to issue a 10-day strike notice to the management, went on a flash strike, when an official allegedly tore the notice in front of them.
Speaking to The Goan, the loaders said they were not happy with the salaries paid to them since the last six years.
“We had decided to serve a 10-day ultimatum to the management to demand an increase in our salaries. We submitted the letter to a company official, which stated that if our salaries were not increased within 10 days, we will go on strike,” said a loader.
“To our surprise, the official tore the letter and stated that he did not accept such ultimatums,” the loader added.
“We were furious with the official's behaviour and went on a flash strike,” said the loader, as the protesting loader refused to join duty unless and until their demands were met.
The loaders further claimed that the company had been paying them a salary of Rs 8,000 without any increment since the last six years, despite handling an average of 200 bags on each of the 16-odd flights each day.
“We are demanding an increased in salary to Rs 13,000 for 26 working days. Neither can we or our families survive on the present salary, as prices of all commodities have increased.”
In a bid to defuse the tension, some officials met the striking loaders and first told them that the company could increase their salary to Rs 9,500. As the loaders were not ready to accept the offer, the officials then offered them a salary of Rs 10,000, but it was also rejected by the loaders.
“The company is also fooling us by saying that they are deducting our PF and ESI. We came to know about this when one of our colleagues took his wife to an ESI doctor, who informed him that their ESI account was nil,” said a loader.
“After we came to know about the ESI issue, we then check our online PF accounts and the amount also showed nil,” added the loader.
“Though the ESI and PF deductions are shown on our salary slips, the reality is that our accounts shows nil balance,” said the loader.
While striking a compromise, the loaders informed the officials that they were ready for a final salary of Rs 12,000 and assured not to demand any increment for the next two years.
The loaders were also ready to sign an agreement in this regard, but airline officials rejected their offer and walked away.
When contacted, the company officials told The Goan they could not afford to pay the loaders the salary that they demanded.
“What they are demanding is a 100 per cent increase in salary, which is not possible. At the most, we can give them an increase of 25 per cent,” said the official.
When asked if the flights had been affected on Monday, the official replied in the negative.
“As far as loading is concerned, we will press into service our staff at the airport and other staff from outside,” said the official.
The official, however, did not clarify if the 'outside' staff implied staff from other airlines at Dabolim airport or Indigo loaders from other airports.
