Daily News

New Delhi: Air India employees union called off its two-day old strike on Wednesday evening but not before a strong message from the Government. The 48 hour impasse that grounded the national carrier came to end after 15 employees were sacked, 17 suspended and the Delhi High Court termed the strikeillegal.

Air India employees immediately joined work after the strike that had crippled operations for nearly hours came to an end. The breakthrough coming after the Air India employees union met the Chief Labour Commissioner. Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav told CNN-IBN that normalcy will be restored in four to five days. Jadhav also said that Rs 12 crore were lost due to the strike in the last two days. The strike had led to 140 flights being cancelled and 13,000 passengers stranded as 20,000 strikingemployees grounded the Maharaja for the second day. But the strike came to an abrupt end late evening on Wednesday as the unions got cornered after the Delhi High Court pronounced the strike illegal.

"I am withdrawing the strike on instructions from our central leadership. We don't do politics on issues," said Vivek Rao, Air Corporation Employees Union General Secretary.

With the nation still mourning the dead in the Mangalore air tragedy, even the PMO and Finance Ministry were not amused by the employees' flash strike. The Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel gave Jadhav, a free hand to get tough.

"Such irresponsible action almost amounts to cutting the branch on which you yourself are sitting. The management of Air India is free to take all appropriate steps and they are, I am sure, going to adequately respond in the given situation," said Patel.

Since May 2009, when Jadhav took over, the management and the employees have been at loggerheads. There have been several strikes.

But this time the government is keen on dealing with the entrenched unionism with an iron hand. Several striking employees are being terminated and more could follow.