New Delhi: Government has invoked Essential Services (Maintenance) Act (ESMA) to stop AAI employees from going on strike. However, AAI workers have begun their protests outside Rajiv Bhawan in the Capital.
The employees of AAI have also begun protests in Mumbai. They don't want private companies to bit to modernise airports.
Reacting to the Government's decision to invoke ESMA, CPI-M Politburo Sitaram Yechury has said that if ESMA is invoked airport privatisation will become a political battle.
The meeting between the Airports Authority unions and the Aviation Minister Praful Patel on Monday was perhaps the Unions' final effort at stalling the airport modernisation process. After a 90-minute meeting, they finally agreed to disagree.
Undettered, the Aviation Ministry decided it will go ahead with the process and open the financial bids of the shortlisted companies on Tuesday.
However, the impasse continues as the employees unions have threatened to disrupt air services countrywide should the Government go ahead.
"The ministry will be responsible we will go on a massive industrial strike," MK Ghoshal, General Secretary, AAI Union, said.
And it is not the only the Unions that are threatening the Civil Aviation Ministry.
The disqualified Essel group is seeking legal recourse and has sought to start the bid process afresh alleging nepotism.
It is quite likely that after the financial bids are opened, more losers could go to court.
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b) Any transport service for the carriage of passengers or goods by air, land or water.
c) Any service connected with the operation or maintenance of aerodromes or any service in the International Airports Authority of India.
d) Any service in working of any major port, including any service connected with the loading, unloading, movement or storage of goods.
e) Any service connected with the clearance of goods or passengers through the customs.
f) Any service in any establishment of the armed forces or any other establishments or installations connected with defence.
g) Any service in any establishment dealing with the production of goods required for defence.
h) Any service in any industrial undertaking pertaining to a scheduled industry on the working of which the safety employees depends.
i) Any service owned or controlled by the Government engaged in the purchase, procurement, storage, supply or distribution of food grains
j) Any service of public conservancy, sanitation or water supply, hospitals or dispensaries controlled by the Government
k) Any service in connection with or in relation to banking.
l) Any service dealing with the production, supply or distribution of coal, power, steel or fertilizers.
m) Any service in any oil field or refinery.
n) Any service in any mint or security press.
o) Any service in connection with elections to Parliament or to the Legislatures of the States.
p) Any service in connection with the affairs of the Union.
q) Any other service connected with matters with respect to which Parliament has power to make laws and which the Central Government being of opinion that strikes therein would prejudicially affect the maintenance of any public utility.
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