Disadvantaged: Air France staff seeks retrenchment benefits

Takes matter to court as air carrier shuts down operations.

KARACHI: As Air France plans to wind up operations in Pakistan, it faces a stumbling block as the employees have taken the matter to court, arguing they are not getting appropriate retrenchment benefits as specified in the Air France manual.

In a hearing held on April 20, the Civil Court Karachi South extended a stay order against the air carrier’s plan to close operations. It also instructed Air France to release April salary to the employees.

“We have no issues with Air France shutting down or moving its operations,” said Nasser Hussain, who had been a customer service manager for the airline for 29 years. “All we are asking for is that it provides us with our benefits as specified in the manual and the same benefits that the workers, who have been part of earlier retrenchment, have received.”

The Air France manual specifies that employees are divided into three categories – top management (M), agents (A) and labour (E) – and they are to be allotted severance package or a “golden handshake” accordingly.

M class should receive 4.5 months of salary multiplied by number of years served, A class should receive 5 months of salary multiplied by number of years served and E class should get 7 months of salary multiplied by number of years served.

Air France has outsourced general sales operations to Gerry’s, which according to the airline, will absorb the employees. “No employees have been absorbed as yet,” said Hussain.

Though the employees received a call from Gerry’s, it might possibly be for initiating negotiations and taking their grievances to the upper management in the hope of reaching a settlement, as implied by Air France, said Hussain.

Most of them had been working as permanent employees with the carrier since the early nineties. “We had no prior notice and came in to work (on March 29) to find out that the office is being shut down (from March 31),” said Umer Sabir, a cargo officer who had worked since 1993.

Despite repeated attempts, Air France officials could not be reached for comments. They have even not shown up at any of the court hearings.

The employees have been going to the office following the stay order, but they have nothing to do there. Next hearing is on May 5.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2012.