Vaccinate Us Or We’ll Stop Work, Demands Air India Pilots’ Union

New Delhi: Arrange vaccination for all flying crew above the age of 18 on priority basis, or they will cease work.

That’s the demand of Air India’s pilots’ union issued in a statement on Tuesday.

Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) general secretary Captain T Praveen Keerthi wrote to Air India Director Captain RS Sandhu, claiming that the management has left the flying crew vulnerable.

“It is disheartening to witness the top management make a mockery of pilots discharging their duties in a risky environment. We were hoping that Air India will not let down the crew and their families who stand by the nation during this pandemic, but the management never ceases to surprise us,” the statement read.

“We feel let down by the self-serving approach of the management, which sees no injustice in organising vaccine camps at few bases but excludes pilots. The employees who are doing desk jobs and the majority opting to work from home are allowed to get vaccinated, leaving the flying crew vulnerable,” it added.

Several crew members tested COVID positive last year and many are affected now amid the deadly second wave, and struggling to manage hospital beds and oxygen cylinders.

He went on to state that the management has been “providing lip service” and “playing to the gallery by issuing circulars and letters with no outcome.”

As they have no healthcare support or insurance, they can’t continue risking lives of pilots.

“If Air India fails to set up vaccination camps on a pan India basis for the flying crew above the age of 18 years on priority, we will STOP WORK,” he stated.

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