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All India Trade Union Congress Attacks Government Over Move To Privatise Air India

All India Trade Union Congress condemed the government’s move to privatise Air India in this statement. 

An Air India Ltd. aircraft prepares to land at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. (Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg)
An Air India Ltd. aircraft prepares to land at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. (Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg)

Condemning the government's move to privatise Air India, the Left-affiliated All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) today accused the Centre of selling out national assets in the name of ease of doing business.

In a statement, the AITUC has said that the Centre has been "obstinately" following the policy of dismantling the public sector.

The government has been obstinately following the policy of dismantling the public sector, and handing over business to Indian and foreign corporates. The latest move of sale of 76 percent share of Air India to private players is a move in pursuance of the same policy of sell out of national assets in the name of ease of doing business.
All India Trade Union Congress Statement

The trade union has also said that despite opposition from unions, the government privatised the airports and "forcibly" merged Indian Airlines and Air India which perpetuated problems for the national carrier.

So far piecemeal sale of the carrier has been the proposed methodology, but the present government desires to do it in one go in the interest of private players, who would reap the benefits and public money will be used by the government for meeting the major debt burdens, the trade union said.

The union also pointed out that because of government's decision the employees, regular and contract, would  be put to greatest hardship.

The move for fixed-term employment being pushed by the government in all the sectors, would further add to the difficulties as private players won't continue the services of existing employees beyond one year as per the provision, it said.