The airport employees called off their four-day old strike following a meeting with Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel on Saturday.

The decision to call off the strike was announced by M K Ghoshal, convener of the Airport Authority of India Employees Joint Forum, at a gathering of the striking workers in front of the Delhi airport.

Full normalcy at the airports is likely to be restored in the next few hours.

"In view of the assurances given by the government, I as convener call of the strike," Ghosal told the workers.

The decision came shortly after the strike leaders met the civil aviation minister, who had given a written assurance to them that there would be no job loss due to modernisation and there would be no victimisation of any kind against those for participation in the strike.

The minister had also given a commitment that a tripartite committee comprising representatives of the ministry, AAI and the Joint Forum (of employees) to go into the proposals of modernisation of airports by AAI and issues relating to job security.

Earlier, after his discussions with the leaders at around 1500 hours, Patel said: "On the basis of assurances given to the leaders, I am confident that the strike will be called off and full normalcy restored in the next few hours."

He said the leaders have been given assurances that there would be no victimisation of those who participated in the strike and there would be no job loss for anyone due to modernisation process.

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"I am confident that the leaders will take the assurances to the workers. I am also confident that they will be able to solve the stalemate and full normalcy restored in the next few hours in the airports," Patel said.

He held discussions with M K Ghosal, convener of the Airport Authority of India Employees Joint Forum, Gurudas Dasgupta, CPI MP, and M K Pandhe, CITU leader.

Dasgupta said they were satisfied with the assurances given by Patel. "Our demands have been conceded," he said.

Asked whether the strike would be called off, he said they were going to discuss the assurances with the union leaders to take a final decision on the strike.

During the 90-minute meeting the leaders were given a written guarantee on the assurances including constitution of a tripartite committee to go into the issues raised by the employees and also the proposals for modernisation of other airports given by the AAI and employees.

After the talks in Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan, housing the ministry, Ghoshal, Dasgupta and Pandhe immediately left for the airport to discuss the government assurances with union leaders.

The written commitment

The government will set up a tripartite committee to go into the issues  and proposals of modernising airports by the Airports Authority of India and the employees-related issues including their job security.

This written commitment was given by Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel to a delegation of leaders of striking airport employees during a 90-minute meeting.

Convener of AAI Employees Joint Forum M K Ghoshal, CITU president M K Pandhe, and Gurudas Dasgupta, MP and AITUC general secretary represented the workers.

The tripartite committee will comprise representatives of civil aviation ministry, AAI and the Joint Forum.

The statement signed by Patel said: "In addition, it is also made clear that there will be no vicitimisation of any kind for participation in the agitation."

"I hope this letter will assuage the feelings of all those connected with the agitation and necessary steps will be taken to end the stalemate immediately."