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Approach Paper to study the impact of Employees Leisure Travel(Retired)

Road Map for conducting a scientific and holistic study of Employees Leisure Travel Policy of Air India Passage Rules and also getting a Social Audit conducted to find a sustainable solution to the passage rights

Need and purpose

Whenever a regime changes, it is expected that the policies might change. Though we do not have any pre-conceived belief that with the changing of the regime the policies are ought to change, but this paper is being prepared to study in-depth the change in AI Passage Rules vis-à-vis Employees Leisure Travel (Retired Employees) Policy. Whether the new regime of Tata (Talace) have made a smooth transition without highlighting the underlying fear factor in the mind of aged and retired employees of Air India who are at the fag-end of their lives and were enjoying the benefits earned in their lifetime. Thus there arises a need to document the exact benefits that were given to the employees and also document the exact benefits that are being given to the employees and to highlight the gaps and suggest a method to bridge such gaps if found.

However, to say Tata taking over Air India a regime-change may not be literally true because a company registered in India is a perpetual entity and change of its ownership or shareholdings does not necessary cause a regime-change but however, a perceptible change is discernible as far as the purpose of the company owned by the government of India and a company owned by a private entity is concerned. While the purpose of the government company primarily is report to government board and follow the policies of welfare primarily and also to widely develop the sector and to infect competition in the sector, the purpose of a private company is to report to its board that is run on the basis of corporate governance and growth of the sector as well. Therefore, there is an absolute need to understand and follow the laid down principles, conventions, rules and laws of the country in respect the application of the rules laid down thus far.

The purpose of the Approach Paper thus is set forth a new benchmark and raise a new bar in following the laid down principles, conventions, rules and laws in order that neither the retired senior citizens feel that their benefits have either been reduced or their dignity as a retired employees is let down nor does the company lose any of its objects and reasons.

The approach and results

This Approach Paper is being conducted to independently understand and guard whether the retired employees rights under the new Scheme of Air India Free Passages(Air Travel)- Employee Leisure Travel Policy(for Retired Employees) are in line with rights conferred upon the employees of Air India and the rights earned by the employees of Air India retired from the services of Air India are being transferred into the new regime rightfully in a letter of spirit and to gauge whether the rights of the retired employees are in no way diverted, compromised, reduced, deferred, or suspended.

This Approach Paper however tends to study all the previous entitlements, entitlement agreements and enforcements that the retired employees of Indian Airlines, Air India and Vayudoot and others who were once part of the overall group of Air India which have been divided into many parts like AIESL, AITSL, AIXL, HCO, and the others. The Approach Paper is to set in motion an in-depth study and thus to get an independent audit conducted by the independent social auditors who are not part of the retired employees team. Thus the study will highlight various aspects of the entitlements, benefits and rules conferred on Air India Group of retired employees as part of their service conditions, retired employee entitlements, and highlight changes/gaps if any. This in-depth study shall also accumulate all the information, rules, conventions, disciplines being followed by Air India Group but all the other airlines world over and the rationale behind providing the Leisure Travel in the scheme of things of the airlines of the world. It shall also study the aspects leading to airlines being signatories to various international conventions, IATA, ICAO standards, airlines alliances like Star Alliance and joint agreements of ticketing like ZED, ID90, ID75 vis-à-vis the earned entitlements of employees.

An In-depth Study

It shall make an in-depth study the complete legal aspects and labour and contract laws as well as the service laws and involve experts of law, social service, social audit and audit professionals in that respect to study the impact of any reduction of such facilities on the violation of the laws and rules both nationally and internationally.

However, our approach would be to call on all the retirees to share whether practically do they find any change in the pattern or any change in the way the old rules are being changed and we shall also study whether the old set of rules being changed as part of the policy of the new regime to obviate from the old rules to make them fairer or not. We shall record the changes and statements of the retirees and will come submit a report for auditors to conduct a complete audit and submit a report to Air India Collective.

To set the comments of retirees in motion, we shall file an online petition of passages highlighting discrepancies being faced thus far and invite comments of the retirees also. Thus this document shall become our prayer and comments box for auditors to take note of and also to the authorities concerned.

Parameters for Audit

The parameters for conducting the audit based on findings of our study and the hearings that the auditors may like to conduct in respect of our study shall be set in accordance to the gauge the following factors:

1. Experience of retirees at the time of ELT

2. Financial realities of retirees

3. Respect and Honour

4. Entitlements

5. Rights

6. Meritorious Service Conditions

7. Earned benefits out of meritorious service

8. Balancing fairness

9. Financial sustainability

10. Health, well-being and mental health of retirees

The Findings and Outcome

Apart from policy recommendations, the paper shall finally be the complete study and exploration into maintaining the fine balance between benefits within a sustainable framework keeping in view the factors like balancing fairness and financial sustainability.

This approach paper is also to scientifically and holistically make an in-depth study into the impact of various factors on the health, well-being, mental health and overall dignity of the senior citizens and very senior citizens who are in the fragile ages and whether it has impacted their living conditions. And to suggest ways and means to make conditions and entitlements even in a sustainable way in the long run. This approach paper is therefore to highlights not only rights of senior citizens, retirees and other factors associated with it, but also to suggest ethical standards to be followed by the corporates for its retired employees so that all retirees conduct themselves as true brand ambassadors of the company that has been built, nurtured and developed by them.

This is a Road Map will become an all-inclusive and a composite study and audit of our passage entitlements without causing any confrontationist or unfriendly point of view vis-à-vis our erstwhile employer company Air India that shall continue to soar high and prosper. We shall present the findings in an appropriate manner to the Air India and other concerned.

Jai Hind!

By Team Air India Collective

(Munish Gupta) (Anand K.Malik) (Arun Malhotra)

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