Click to play videoNew Delhi: After two days of protests and agitation, an emotional Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal on Thursday reinstated all the employees who were retrenched.
Goyal apologised for laying off a large number of employees, mainly cabin crew, and assured them that their jobs were intact and they could report to work from Friday onwards.
"I have not been able to sleep all night. I apologise for what has happened," Goyal told reporters at a late night press meet.
"I request all of you to start work from tomorrow morning. We will stand by our employees," he added.
The Jet Airways Chairman said that he is not worried about how the salaries will be adjusted.
"I was shaken after I saw all the grief around, I cannot see tears. I have faith and am answerable to God and my mother who is no more,” an emotional Goyal said.
He added that no one knew about this decision. "My management may not like it but I cannot sleep with my conscience pricking. My employees are family,” Goyal said.
Distancing from the decision that provoked sharp protest from the employees and some political parties, Goyal said, "Management had decided it and when I read about it I saw tears in their eyes, I decided on my own to call them back.
Asked about Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray’s threat that he would not allow Jet to fly from Mumbai, Goyal said that I have not talked to anybody.
"It does not matter what anybody says, I have not even asked my wife," an emotionally choked Goyal said.
Meanwhile, Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes told CNN-IBN, “We welcome the decision by Jet Airways. This is a very good decision.”
Jet had sacked around 1,000 employees after its mega alliance with Kingfisher Airlines and had said it could dismiss another 1,000 in a cost-cutting move.
Regarding cost cutting in the company, Goyal said, “Cost cutting will have to be done and help from Government will also be needed.”
He explained that he had not spoken to the management but also hastened to add that his decision was not taken under pressure.
"I took this decision from my conscience and not consulted the management. Kingfisher and synergy is another issue. That alliance is a separate issue," he said.
Past tense
The Government conducted preliminary enquiries into the matter but was unlikely to intervene into the retrenchment of the probationers.
Following the Government probe, Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner of Maharashtra and Goa in a letter to the Union Labour Ministry said the 700 probationers laid off by Jet Airways including 578 cabin crew and 120 ground staff were on probation with less than one year of service record.
"As per law, probationers below one year of service can be retrenched without serving any notice. So, there is no violation of law. We are looking into the matter of the remaining employees who were sacked. So far, the Labour Commissioner there have not received any complaints from anyone," Labour Secretary Sudha Pillai had said.
Provisions under the Industrial Disputes Act states that employees who have completed their probationary period can approach the Labour Commissioner's office to seek justice for undue removal from service.
The official's letter said the airline had paid a month's salary and returned security deposits to the retrenched employees.
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