Air India employees walked out of work for two hours on Friday as part of their nationwide protest against delayed payment of salaries.

There were, however, no reports of disruption of services due to the protests at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The protest, called by the Aviation Industry Employees Guild (AIEG), the Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) and some other unions, saw employees coming out of their offices in Delhi and staging demonstrations from 1 to 3 pm.

Around 300 employees carrying red flags assembled in front of the old domestic terminal building of the airport, shouting slogans against the management and demanding immediate payment of salaries.

Air India’s unions have been on a warpath with its management since last month after the latter announced that payment of salaries for June would be delayed. They would be paid by July 15.

“The government cannot defer salaries as per the Payment of Wages Act. It must pay the salaries by July 10. The company is not following rules and regulations and taking decisions which are against the interest of employees,” J B Kadiyan, General Secretary, ACEU, said.

The workers went ahead with their strike despite a ‘staff notice’ issued earlier in the day by AI, warning that “any participation in the illegal strike would be viewed seriously and appropriate action, including deduction of wages and withdrawal of the productivity-linked incentive till further orders, will be taken.”

Air India, meanwhile, said it was working out the

formalities for the disbursement of salaries to lower grade employees as per the agreement reached with the unions last week.