Hunger strike by Airport Authority Employee Union, Imphal Branch
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 24 2012:
The Airport Authority Employee Union, Imphal Branch has joined the country-wide three-day AAEU hunger strike to protest privatisation of Airports and other demands.
The protest is against the proposed privatisation of Airports and recent privatisation of Chennai and Kolkata Airports and to demand payment of pension to Airport employees, said N Paite, Secretary of AAEU, Imphal Branch.
As part of the industrial action, the union had observed a two day lunch-hour demonstration from September 20 to September 21 to fulfill the demands.
As no sign of positive response is forthcoming from the management and the government, the union has been compelled to intensify its industrial action with a three-day hunger strike beginning today to protest the bid to privatize the airport and other demands.
The fast began at 9.30am today at the Air Traffic Services Complex, Imphal Airport and will last for 72 hours, but this will not affect flight services.
Apart from opposing the management's bid to privatise Kolkata and Chennai airports; the Union's demands included implementation of common seniority between the employees of the erstwhile International Airports Division and the National Airports Division; stop the bifurcation of the AAI for formation of ANS Corporation and payment of pension under 'Option A' which is more beneficial for the workers, Paite said.