The pilots of Air India, in an online petition to Tata Sons Ltd Chairman Emeritus Ratan Naval Tata, have said their morale is low as they are not being treated with respect and dignity by the airlines’ Human Resource (HR) Department.

Stressing that they take great pride in their work and the role they play in representing the Tata group and India on the global stage, the pilots said: “However, we are currently facing a difficult situation with the current HR department. We feel that we are not being treated with the respect and dignity that we deserve as employees of Air India.”

“As a result, our morale is low, and we are concerned that this will have a negative impact on our ability to perform our duties to the best of our abilities,” they said in the petition, a copy of which is with IANS.

The pilots also said they understand the challenges before the airline are complex and are committed to to working with the company to find solutions that will benefit all stakeholders.

“However, we feel that our concerns are not being heard or addressed by the current HR team. We are therefore respectfully requesting your assistance in addressing these issues. We would not have disturbed you had this issue not been this important. But as the Chairman Emeritus of Air India, we believe that your benevolent leadership can help us to find a solution that is fair and respectful to all parties involved,” their petition said.

Earlier the two pilot bodies – the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA) and the Indian Pilots’ Guild (IPG) in a letter to Tata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran sought his intervention as the HR policy of Air India was a “draconian approach” and “driven by a lack of trust”.

“Tata has always prided itself on its fair and ethical practices. However, the actions of the HR Department with regard to the pilots are completely contrary to these values. The pilots are being subjected to unfair treatment. It is clear that the HR Department is flouting the laws and regulations that are in place to protect the rights of employees. The pilots are being subjected to a hostile work environment,” said a joint letter by the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA) and Indian Pilots’ Guild (IPG).