Indian resumes operations as employee's call of strike

New Delhi: Employees of the state-owned carrier, Indian, called off their three day old strike on Thursday, after talks with the airline management and the civil aviation ministry, ending considerable chaos and confusion at the country's airports in the process. Civil aviation secretary, Ashok Chawla, after a three hour meeting with agitating employees, announced that the strike had been called off and that all issues would be settled amicably.

It now appears that the government has agreed to clear employee wage arrears by 2008, and that it would also reconsider suspension notices served on 23 striking employees.

Thousands of employees of the airline went on a flash strike on Tuesday night demanding theclearance of their wage arrears, as well as parity in promotions, and career opportunities, with employees of sister concern, Air India.

The employees persisted with their flash strike, despite notices from the Delhi High Court and the country's chief labour commissioner on Wednesday that their action was illegal.