NEW DELHI, 13 March 2008 — Thousands of staff began an indefinite strike at 127 airports across India yesterday, but flights from India’s main cities of Mumbai and New Delhi were unaffected, according to officials.
About 14,000 union members are striking over the imminent closure of two airports in the southern cities of Hyderabad and Bangalore, both home to many of India’s software and outsourcing companies, to make way for modern, privately-run facilities. The striking workers are mostly employed in airport support services and include electricians, plumbers, cleaners, engineers and emergency fire support staff.
Most of the striking employees stayed away from work in airports across India, causing problems to passengers, as toilets were not cleaned and heaps of garbage piled up in some places.
Taps began running dry in some airports, litter was visible and baggage trolleys were scarce, travelers said, but airport officials said flights were still operating on schedule.
About 1,000 employees did not report in the morning at the domestic airport in the southern city of Chennai, officials said. “We are putting into operation contingency plans now,” Dinesh Kumar, the airport director said in Chennai yesterday.
However, flight operations were normal in big cities, including New Delhi, Arun Arora, the Airports Authority of India spokesman said. Unlike most airports in India, New Delhi and Mumbai are already privately-run and union influence is weak.
In Kolkata, capital of communist-ruled West Bengal state, hundreds of employees did not turn up for work, many waving flags and shouting slogans against authorities, officials said. “It is a total noncooperation from our side,” Deepankar Ghosh, a union leader said.
In Kolkata, as well as Hyderabad, where authorities plan to shut down the old airport, several aged passengers were seen carrying their own baggage as there was no one to help them, officials and witnesses said.
“I canceled my planned business trip to Jaipur because of the strike today. I hope everything gets resolved very soon,” Ashok Parmar, 40, said by telephone from Kolkata.
Over 470 air force personnel were deployed in 21 major airports in the country to help in flight operations, officials said. New airports with better facilities built by private developers are due to open soon in Hyderabad and Bangalore cities.
The union members fear once private operators take over, staff at the old airports could lose their jobs or get moved elsewhere. Although, authorities have said that no staff would lose their jobs as they will be needed at other airports in the country, union members disagree.
“These are all lies and the government must not shut down the old airports,” M.K. Ghoshal, the leader of striking union said.
Ghoshal said that he expected most of the group’s 15,000 members working at 127 airports managed by the state-run Airports Authority of India to eventually join in the strike.
“The employees are not happy. Management has deployed unskilled, unknown persons and they are managing the show, but it may lead to some risks for the passengers.”
“All the officers are there,” said Airports Authority of India spokesman T. Premnath. “If we need to we will hire casual laborers.”
