62 AAI staff want to stay back,resist transfer orders

After three years of deputation at the Mumbai airport,almost all AAI employees who were earlier posted in Mumbai,were transferred to other airports across the country. In April 2009,while as many as 350 were accommodated in Mumbai,over 1,000 staff were left for new postings. At that time,around 144 employees were allowed to stay back in Mumbai for an additional year because of medical reasons or if their child was in a critical school year.

A year on,this extension has come to an end. “Around 72 people received their transfer letters last month,but 10 of them have been cancelled on compassionate grounds,one employee has cancer,some of them are over 55 years of age and a few have their spouses working here,” said a senior union leader of AAI.

Last year over 250 employees have opted for Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS),of which 100 were posted in Mumbai. Another 60 staff had returned over the last year.

“These 62 employees,who are now being transferred,can be accommodated,” he said.

A senior AAI officer said this was a ‘perennial problem’ and added there was little they could do unless it was under compassionate grounds.