Fearing job loss, SpiceJet workers protest in Mumbai; company rubbishes allegation

Airlines is one of the sectors that have been badly hit by the pandemic that has curtailed mobility drastically thanks to the full and partial lockdowns to rein in the spread of infections. Fearing job loss, a bunch of employees of SpiceJet demonstrated at the Mumbai airport late on June 3. The company, however, said there was no basis of the apprehension of the employees since the authorities had no retrenchment plan right now.

Staff allegation

More than 50 ground staff protested Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at midnight. They shouted slogans seeking job security and demanded unambiguous communication from the company to that effect. A couple of video clips of this agitation has also got wide circulation on social media.

“In the past 10-12 years, SpiceJet had never asked the ground staff to hand over the Aerodrome Entry Permission (AEP) pass. Suddenly they have asked us to do so. We are really worried that our job might be taken away soon,” said an employee.

The workers also alleged that the company was not arranging any pickup and drop during the lockdown making it impossible for them to return home in the middle of the night as night curfew and lockdown were in force in the state.

“We have been detained at the airport for over 12 hours now. Our duty hours are over, but they aren’t letting us leave the premises. They wanted us to surrender our airport entry passes, but we have decided not to,” alleged a worker in the video clip.

Union’s version

The ground staff union is affiliated to Shiv Sena. Arvind Sawant, president of Shiv Sena union, said that collecting AEP from staff after the end of the duty is not a regular practice.

“There might be a rule of handing over AEP after the day’s work, but SpiceJet never followed this for the past 10-12 years. So, there is definite reason for the agitation. On Thursday evening, they suddenly asked 64 workers to surrender their AEP. These are the workers whose contract with SpiceJet expired on May 31 and the airline did not renew it,” said Sawant.

 Sawant confirmed that the 64 staffs have been working for SpiceJet for over ten years now on fixed term contract.

“We understand that the airline industry is in difficult times, but we are ready to sacrifice other things not one’s job,” said Sawant.

Company view

“As per government directive, airport staff has to submit their Aerodrome Entry Permit Pass after the end of their shift. Some staff objected to this in Mumbai on the evening of June 2. However, they were told that no relaxation whatsoever would be given and rules have to be adhered to,” the SpiceJet spokesperson said on Friday evening.

The airline also said no ground staff has been removed from service.

But the word has gone around that SpiceJet planned to lay off 300 out of 600 staff, comprising largely loaders and drivers in Mumbai airport. These were workers who have been employed for 3 to 15 years on fixed-term contracts to carry out ground handling work.

These workers are given Rs 12,000 to Rs 13,500 per month to do jobs like loading/unloading cargo, baggage, transporting passengers between terminal and aircraft.

Pandemic-hit

SpiceJet has slashed salary up to 50% salary for April for all its employees citing the disruptions caused by the pandemic. Sources said ground staff, cabin crew, commercial staff and pilots were paid only 10% to 50% of their April and May salary.

Crew members have already submitted an online petition to the management that said despite risking their lives and doing their duties, the employees are underpaid and that some, who worked full-time, have received very small amounts as their salary.

Citing the distress, the SpiceJet spokesperson said: “In normal times at least 4.5 lakh passengers travel daily. But this figure has gone down to 3 lakh in January-February. Now we have only 80,000-1 lakh passengers per day.”