Kingfisher reneges on salary promise, fresh stir likely

Employees of Kingfisher Airlines have not received their May salaries ''before Diwali'' as promised by the management, and they plan to chalk out a fresh action plan next week if they do not receive their dues by 17 November.

"Diwali has come and gone but we have still not received the salary for the month of May. The management, as usual, has once again backtracked on its commitment and there is no word from them on payment," sources in airline staff told PTI in New Delhi.

"We will wait till Saturday for the payment of May salary. If the airline does not pay by 17 November, we will chalk out our further action plan," they said.

The grounded airline continues to remain silent over the payment to its nearly 3,000 employees, despite an assurance from the management last month that the third tranche of the dues would be paid by Diwali, they said. A text message sent to airline spokesperson did not elicit any response.

The carrier promoted by liquor baron Vijay Mallya has been grounded since 1 October when its pilots and engineers went on a strike over non-payment of dues. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation also cancelled Kingfisher's licence later in the month.

The strike was, however, called off late last month after airline's chief executive Sanjay Aggarwal assured them a staggered payment of three months' dues before Diwali.

"March salary will be paid on or before 25 October ... the April salary on or before 31 October and May salary before Diwali. In essence, you will receive three months of salary before Diwali," Aggarwal had told the employees in an email.

Incidentally, the peace between agitating employees and the management was brokered on the eve of the second edition of the Indian Grand Prix late last month in Greater Noida, when the employees had threatened to disrupt the international motor racing event.