Air India panel to look into pay parity and issues from merger

Air India announced plans to constitute an independent committee of experts to look into issues of pay parity and other related matters from the merger of Indian Airlines and Air India (PTI/Live Mint, 15-Mar-2011). The independent committee will be headed by retired justice DN Dharmadhikari. The committee will be based at Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi, and is expected to submit its report within five months. An interim proposal is, however, likely to submitted to the Ministry of Civil Aviation by 31-Mar-2011, according to Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA).

India: "The committee will inter-alia examine the principles of integration across various cadres including determination of level mapping and seniority, suggest harmonised working conditions for various categories of employees, examine principles governing the retirement benefits, make recommendations with respect to the parameters of different productivity linked incentive schemes applicable to the employees to bring them in line with competition and other matters relating to harmonization," Company Statement. Source: Live Mint, 15-Mar-2011.