PALPA agitated: Gearing up- not for takeoff, but a tussle
Association chief feels cheated by authorities, Shujaat Azeem presents counters
Association chief feels cheated by authorities, Shujaat Azeem presents counters. PHOTO: REUTERS
KARACHI:
It was a routine affair for beat reporters who came to attend the Pakistan Air Line Pilots’ Association’s (Palpa) press conference on Monday. Barring the ply-board that carried pictures of martyrs from the 1965 and 1971 wars, everything else seemed routine.
The board was placed right in front of the table placed for journalists, who wondered if the event was about commemorating war heroes and not the usual sweeping statements that make for catchy headlines.
Palpa President Amir Hashmi did not disappoint as he laid out what appeared to be groundwork for another confrontation with the management of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) - the kind which has seen pilots not taking flights on time.
“We have been fooled,” he said. “It is generally held that we are close to Shujaat Azeem (Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Aviation) and we did listen to him for a year, believing he will do something. But nothing seems to be happening.”
Then he went on to speak at length on subjects ranging from violation of rules and regulations, uselessness of Director Flight Operation, the fallout of aviation policy on national airlines, and the alleged benefits Azeem is deriving out of it, to Palpa’s working agreement that needed revision.
By the time the press conference ended, there didn’t seem to be any consensus on the intro for next day’s story and the two paged press release handed out was equally confusing.
However, Hashmi made it obvious that Palpa was not happy with the management’s interference in its domain.
“They have hired three pilots on contract for the A-310s. Our agreement with them clearly states that every pilot starts from turbo prop ATR and then makes his way up to a jet,” he said.
According to him, the PIA management has also resorted to favouritism when it comes to deciding which pilot would take flights or who should be sent for training. Few pilots have also been grounded as revenge. “And this is being done on the directives of Azeem.”
Palpa is the strongest of about half a dozen major unions, which represent 18,000 employees of PIA. Time and again the association has led protests against management on issues of salaries, out-of-turn promotions to more serious matters like code-share agreements with other airlines.
At the same time, it lobbies hard for its members who want increase in pay and allowance in shape of a revised working agreement, which lists down the dos, don’ts and takeaways for the pilots.
What Azeem says
No more, says the special assistant to the prime minister on aviation. On his part, Azeem, who holds the sway of a Federal Aviation Minister, says he has gone out of the way to appease Palpa.
“They want to sacrifice the airline for their petty gain. Do you know how much trouble we had to go through to get their income exempted from tax? They earn over a million a month and pay tax on only Rs80,000.”
He said PIA’s management and the Aviation Division, which he heads, have inducted the highest number of aircraft in the fleet in any one year.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2015.
It was a routine affair for beat reporters who came to attend the Pakistan Air Line Pilots’ Association’s (Palpa) press conference on Monday. Barring the ply-board that carried pictures of martyrs from the 1965 and 1971 wars, everything else seemed routine.
The board was placed right in front of the table placed for journalists, who wondered if the event was about commemorating war heroes and not the usual sweeping statements that make for catchy headlines.
Palpa President Amir Hashmi did not disappoint as he laid out what appeared to be groundwork for another confrontation with the management of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) - the kind which has seen pilots not taking flights on time.
“We have been fooled,” he said. “It is generally held that we are close to Shujaat Azeem (Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Aviation) and we did listen to him for a year, believing he will do something. But nothing seems to be happening.”
Then he went on to speak at length on subjects ranging from violation of rules and regulations, uselessness of Director Flight Operation, the fallout of aviation policy on national airlines, and the alleged benefits Azeem is deriving out of it, to Palpa’s working agreement that needed revision.
By the time the press conference ended, there didn’t seem to be any consensus on the intro for next day’s story and the two paged press release handed out was equally confusing.
However, Hashmi made it obvious that Palpa was not happy with the management’s interference in its domain.
“They have hired three pilots on contract for the A-310s. Our agreement with them clearly states that every pilot starts from turbo prop ATR and then makes his way up to a jet,” he said.
According to him, the PIA management has also resorted to favouritism when it comes to deciding which pilot would take flights or who should be sent for training. Few pilots have also been grounded as revenge. “And this is being done on the directives of Azeem.”
Palpa is the strongest of about half a dozen major unions, which represent 18,000 employees of PIA. Time and again the association has led protests against management on issues of salaries, out-of-turn promotions to more serious matters like code-share agreements with other airlines.
At the same time, it lobbies hard for its members who want increase in pay and allowance in shape of a revised working agreement, which lists down the dos, don’ts and takeaways for the pilots.
What Azeem says
No more, says the special assistant to the prime minister on aviation. On his part, Azeem, who holds the sway of a Federal Aviation Minister, says he has gone out of the way to appease Palpa.
“They want to sacrifice the airline for their petty gain. Do you know how much trouble we had to go through to get their income exempted from tax? They earn over a million a month and pay tax on only Rs80,000.”
He said PIA’s management and the Aviation Division, which he heads, have inducted the highest number of aircraft in the fleet in any one year.
“We have given hope to PIA employees. That is not tangible but it is there. And we will continue to pursue our strategy. We are not bothered with individuals.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2015.