Air India to pay salaries to 11,000 staff on July 3

Air India, which was in the news for delaying payment of June salaries, has now announced that 11,000 employees, of its total workforce of 31,000, will be paid on July 3.

This move is consequent to the meeting between the management and three unions representing nearly 20,000 employees here on Monday. The airline will now hold another meeting on July 4 to discuss when the balance staffers will get their June salaries.

Employees who will be paid on July 3 largely comprise the clerical cadre classified under grades 1-9 in the erstwhile Air India and 1, 2, 3 and 6 in (the former) Indian Airlines. The list of 11,000 also includes 600 junior crew members.

Incidentally, Air India's monthly wage bill is in the region of Rs 350 crore.

While its top management has been pressing for extra financial support from the Government, the message coming through from the latter is clear in that the airline will have to either shape up or ship out.

All eyes are on the Budget to see what kind of announcement will be made in terms of some aid to Air India.

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