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Jay Trilok Dalaya, an Air India cabin crew member.

“I share a strong belief that a ‘journey of a thousand miles starts with the very first steps’,” says Jay Trilok Dalaya (pictured right), an Air India cabin crew member based in Mumbai and representative of the Indian ITF-affiliated Aviation Industry Employees’ Guild. “My union is a classic example of this: it has educated people about their rights which they previously didn’t know about, or which management didn’t inform them about. And we have now moved on to achieve a lot for our members.”

Jay’s union role includes: organising workers, negotiating with management for better working conditions, campaigning and upholding trade union rights and promoting career progression. He also plays a key part in ensuring that measures are taken against precarious employment and the development of a two-tier workforce.

As a member of the cabin crew, Jay’s typical working day consists not only of serving meals, but also looking after the safety and wellbeing of passengers. “Cabin crew must ensure that people’s lives are not at risk or prevent them from being injured in the event of any unforeseen incident. They are also qualified first-aiders,” explains Jay.

Some of the key issues for cabin crew include the impact on staff’s health of flying for long hours, being exposed to high cabin pressure and suffering from jetlag. However, thanks to the union, some of these concerns have been addressed.

Jay explains: “After every flight there is time off, known as ‘rest at base station’. Following eight days on long haul flights – our senior crew members are able to take up to five days off, while new cabin crew must be on their next flight duty after between 24 and 36 hours. This situation had got out of control and was taking a toll on the health of our crew, apart from depriving them of time with their families or for a personal life.

“However, with much perseverance, a well defined agenda and the help of medical advisors and statistics, the union successfully negotiated the same amount of time off for all crew members – both senior and junior staff.”

Another of the union’s successes includes obtaining transport for all staff. Jay states: “When I joined Air India as cabin crew four years ago, we were not provided with transport to pick us up from and drop us off at our homes, even at night. This was of grave concern to us, as women cabin crew had to travel on their own, often great distances, to the airport in the early dark hours of the morning.

“We highlighted our concerns and pointed out that senior colleagues were provided with transport at all hours. As a result, our struggle paid off and today all of us have access to the same pick-up and drop-off facility as our senior colleagues.

“It’s in every interest of the employee that they be associated with a union. The union creates a platform from which joint negotiations and continuous improvements in working conditions are possible. These would be difficult to achieve as an individual.”

As a young worker, Jay also believes it is crucial that unions reach out to his peers. He says: “Young people can infuse the labour movement with new fresh ideas. Over decades unions and their leaders have always been senior in age because it was believed that they would bring with them substance. However, the scenario is changing: a fine balance between young and senior people would create a perfect blend to sustain and build the labour movement through a combination of zest, vitality and experience.”

Interview by Yasmin Prabhudas, ITF News Online editor.