Air India's LWP scheme for employees an attempt to save top management: Derek O'Brien

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O'Brien on Thursday termed Air India's Leave Without Pay (LWP) scheme for its employees an attempt to save the top management and sacrifice the interests of employees.

"@airindiain's compulsory leave without pay scheme is unprecedented in the history of PSUs. An obvious ploy to protect top management and sacrifice employees. The move violates labour norms, is anti-worker and arbitrary. This is match-fixing for proposed #AirIndia buyers. Retrenchment in a new name," O'Brien tweeted.

"If top management is bloated, why sacrifice employees? No worker has sought this scheme. It denies workers' rights, right to life and livelihood. Shocking that a PSU would use and throw employees in the face of a pandemic when 150+ #AirIndians tested positive doing Vande Bharat Mission," he added.

On Wednesday, Air India had approved a scheme for sending employees on LWP for a time period ranging from six months to two years which can be extended up to five years.

The scheme, which also authorises the CMD to pass an order on behalf of the company for an employee to be sent on leave for the stipulated period, was approved at the 102nd meeting of the board of directors of the carrier held on July 7.

( With inputs from ANI )