on Apr 22, 2021)Mumbai: Covid’s second wave has hit
SpiceJet so badly that the airline said it has been forced to partially outsource its ground handling operations at Mumbai airport to a private company.
Sources said the airline has planned to lay off 300 out of the 590-strong staff. These largely comprise loaders and drivers who have been employed for 3 to 15 years on fixed-term contract with SpiceJet to carry out ground handling work like loading/unloading baggage, and transporting passengers between terminal & aircraft.
“On one hand, SpiceJet has bid for Air India and, on the other, they say they don’t have funds to pay full salaries or keep employees on payroll. We served them a strike notice on Tuesday. They have 14 days now to resolve the issue,” said Arvind Sawant, president of Shiv Sena union Bharatiya Kamgar Sena— a recognised union.