HAL trade union to go on indefinite strike from Oct 14

HAL trade union is going to observe an indefinite strike from October 14 to demand settlement of wage revision
HAL trade union to go on indefinite strike from Oct 14

Bengaluru: The All India HAL Trade Unions Coordination Committee (AIHALTUCC) at state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is going to observe an indefinite strike from October 14, a statement said on Friday. The HAL trade union has issued an indefinite strike notice and said that the agitation to demand settlement of wage revision effective from January 1, 2017, will be observed at all the nine locations of the defence PSU.

Why have HAL trade unions called for a strike?

The tussle between the HAL management and the trade unions has been going on since 2017 when the HAL management had revised the periodicity of wage hike from 5 years to 10 years. “After six meetings, the workers were offered a mere 8 percent hike in gross salary compared with executives who have got up to 35 percent rise in the gross salary,” the union stated.

“If the management is unable to give their workmen what is deserved and due to them for any reasons or under the guise of affordability, we hereby once again demand you to take back the wages of executives too, with arrears settled against 2017 wage revision,” the union said.

Status of wage revision

The wage revision of workmen in HAL is due from January 1, 2017, and previous two revisions were effected from January 1, 2007, and 2012, for a period of five years each. Salary revision of the executives of the company was also due from January 1, 2017, and implemented during November 2017 as per the instructions issued by the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), based on the recommendations of 3rd PRC.

As per the directives of DPE, negotiated scales of pay of workmen should not come in conflict with the scales of pay of executives and CPSEs where five years periodicity is followed have to ensure that negotiated scales of pay for two successive wage revisions do not exceed the existing scales of pay of executives for whom 10 years periodicity is followed.

What does HAL management say?

“In line with the DPE guidelines, a series of meetings for wage negotiation with the unions were held (10 meetings with all the unions and 4 meetings with the conveners of the unions). However, unions have been insisting for more than 15 percent fitment benefit and 35 percent perks, which is more than that given to executives after a period of 10 years. For workmen, the last wage revision took place with effect from January 1, 2012,” the HAL management said in a statement.

“The management is open for discussions and conclusion of wage revision effective from January 1, 2017, can be achieved only with the co-operation of the unions based on realistic and affordable expectations/demands. The proposed indefinite strike by the Unions would neither be in the interest of the organization nor the employees,” HAL said.

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