Former pilots on contractual basis: Palpa at loggerheads with PIA

Pakistan International Airline (PIA) and Pakistan Air Line Pilots' Association (Palpa) are at loggerheads over the proposal to appoint retired pilots on contractual basis. According to sources, although there was an excess pilots in the airline, the government in order to accommodate some blue eyed pilots, was busy in drafting contacts for the pilots, who were retired or near to their retirements.
They said that special assistant to the Prime Minister on Aviation Captain Shujaat Azeem, who was given a blanket approval to run the affairs of the national flag carrier and Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), simultaneously, was supervising the process as PALPA during a recent meeting with the high-ups in PIA expressed strong reservations over the issue but the PIA management in response to PALPA's reaction denied of considering the said proposal. Moreover, sources said appointments in cash-starved PIA were earlier made at lower level and now it had also been initiated at upper level and added that job contracts for some blue eyed pilots were being drafted under the supervision of aviation adviser.
Contrary to the international practices that restrict pilots to work beyond the age limit of 65 years, the Aviation Division is negotiating with the retired or retiring pilots to continue flying after attaining the prescribed age limit, which the sources termed the violation of international practices and may cause any untoward incident. Sources in PALPA said that as per the provisions of the Articles & Memorandum of Association, and the mutually agreed Working Agreement, PALPA was the bargaining the representative for pilots was also to work as an employment agency for pilots. Therefore, the management is legally bound to consult the pilots' representative body prior to implementing any change in the status, emoluments, and working conditions of the pilots' association members.
They said PALPA had already submitted a new working agreement and the negotiations were about to commence between the management and the PALPA. Meanwhile, PALPA in its memo issued to spread such information among its members said that the reports to keep pilots on contract were causing apprehension amongst the community. PALPA has advised its members not to get allured by any kind of such offers and requested them to consult with the association. The memo further stated that PALPA would thoroughly evaluate the proposed documents to ensure that it did not in any way deteriorate the security of job, working conditions, duty time limitations, travel facilities, career progression, etc.