TMC MP urges Puri to withdraw Air India's LWP scheme

Kolkata: Stating the process formulating the compulsory leave without pay (LWP) scheme by Air India as "undemocratic", Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien urged the Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to immediately withdraw the "inhumane scheme and also to ensure payment of due salaries to the employees".

In his recent letter, O'Brien stated that the step has been taken in sharp contrast with the Centre's earlier advisories directing all states to mandatory that employers in all industries, shops and establishments must pay their workers without any deduction during the period of lockdown.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday had attacked the Centre stating that they are bulldozing people in the name of COVID-19 as approval has been given to send a section of employees of Air India for five years' leave without pay.

Mentioning that the process of formulating the scheme could not have been more undemocratic, O'Brien stated in his letter: "No worker has sought this scheme. No one was involved to advocate or argue for the employees' interest during its formulation. It is a straight forward case of strong arming the unrepresented ".

He further stated that the Ministry has shown a complete lack of empathy and a refusal to acknowledge the selfless service of the employees of Air India during the COVID-19 pandemic. This comes when around 150 employees have tested positive so far and such a move at this critical time is highly arbitrary.