Air India has been ordered by a UK court to pay a whopping 252,000 pounds towards outstanding employment claim with accrued interest to one of its former London-based catering managers.
Source PTI | MoneyControl.com
The English Court of Appeal delivered its reserved judgment in an appeal concerning overtime and other employment claims of a former London-based catering manager of Air India, Minoo Driver, who worked in its Inflight Services Department at Heathrow airport.
Minoo Driver, a Parsee from Mumbai was in Air India’s employment since 1972 and his long standing relationship with the aviation company was soured when his contractual entitlements were denied to him and Driver had to approach the law courts to redress his damage.
The London law firm Zaiwalla & Co Solicitors, who handled Driver’s successful appeal before the Court of Appeal, said, "Air India has thrown away over 350,000 pounds over fighting a small petty claim for overtime of an ex-employee."
Besides that they have wasted enormous management time and costs on what has turned out to be a wasteful expenditure.
"The Court of Appeal criticism of Air India’s vigilance department reflects very bad on Indian Public Sector undertaking."
Air India has been ordered to pay in the region of 252,000 pounds in respect of Driver’s outstanding employment claim with accrued interest as well as Driver’s legal costs in both the High Court and the Court of Appeal amounting to 100,000 pounds.
The Court also adversely commented on the conduct of Air India’s vigilance department against its former employee.
The court also asked Air India’s top management to agree with Driver and make the payment according to its judgment without any further delays and expressed its anguish that Driver’s case had "previously reached the highest levels int he Respondent’s organisation, albeit without effective action being taken thereafter.