Pawan Hans (PH) pilots — who have been complaining about Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel being offered higher salaries — were asked to resign and join the company again on contractual basis at higher salaries.

The management asked the pilots to submit their application by Monday. However, senior PH pilots said that the offer is not useful for them as it requires them to leave their other salary benefits like provident fund, gratuity, medical insurance and pension eligibility. They would have to become contractual pilots.

Despite repeated attempts by HT, PH’s spokesperson did not respond.

A senior PH pilot said, “Our flying allowances have been the same since 2008. The management had agreed to increase our flying allowance four years back but it never happened. Many pilots resigned because to this issue and bulk resignations led to shortage of pilots. This is how they decided to hire IAF pilots to fulfil the shortage. After following it up with the management, they have come up with a system that cannot be accepted by senior permanent pilots.”

On May 24, a circular, a copy of which is with HT, stated that there will be fresh appointments of pilot based on the new contract (termed as associate pilots in the circular) that would pay them Rs 4.5 lakh per month. This pay, however, will not include current emoluments and conditions in the present working rules.

“Associate pilots shall not be entitled for any other allowances/ perquisites and benefits including leave as applicable to regular/ contractual employees of the company . Regular pilots opting for the above scheme shall be treated as deemed to be retired and accordingly their terms and conditions of appointment shall be fixed afresh. They will be allowed to join after full and final settlement including surrendering of company properties/ accommodation etc,” read the circular.

On February 27, IAF pilots joined PH to help reduce acute pilot shortage in the company. PH pilots had opposed the plan of giving IAF pilots double the basic pay as the latter had to be trained by PH senior pilots only. On February 28, they had written a letter to the aviation ministry stating that IAF pay system is unfair, unethical and travesty of justice.

However, a PH official said that the contract system has been introduced as the management could not increase the amount in the old structure.

First Published: Jun 07, 2019 14:05 IST