The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) has stated that its meeting with the Air India management over the Indian Airlines pilots' wage issues will be its last attempt at negotiations. Further delay in remittance of salary for the month of January and in the resolution of teh pay parity issues will be met with any form of industrial unrest, ICPA informed on Saturday in a letter to its members.

Here is parts of the letter written by the ICPA president to other members:

"On the issue of salary deferment, we have objected very strongly to the routine delay in salary disbursement. In response, the management promised to pay our salaries by Feb 11, 2011, instead of Feb 14, 2011 by means of email. The DISHONEST TOP MANAGEMENT has DECEIVED us once again by not keeping their word. As a responsible and mature Union, we have chosen to exercise restraint in spite of extreme antagonization and undue provocation. It appears that our self restraint is being challenged by the CMD and the Top management of Air India, time and again. The voices of our members are growing louder by the minute and by the day demanding justice. We have decided to give the management one last opportunity on Feb 14, 2011 to address our grievances in a just and equitable manner failing which the CEC will exercise the mandate given to it by the ICPA membership to take whatever steps necessary in the interest of natural justice for our members. I will keep you updated on further developments as they happen. As of now, I request each one of you to be mentally, physically and financially prepared for serving the STRIKE NOTICE."

The chairman and managing director of Air India, Arvind Jadhav, has promised to meet the ICPA on the February 14. Jadhav had reportedly agreed to a meeting with the pilots' representative body on January 27, but did not turn up for the meeting despite being present in his office.

ICPA, a union of 800 pilots of the erstwhile Indian Airlines, also complained of discrimination on the part of the company citing the different wage structures of Air India and Indian Airlines. IA pilots are paid by the hour, unlike their AI counterparts hwo have a fixed salary.

The strike threat could pose a major hurdle in reviving the National Aviation Company of India -- the parent company of the Air India brand -- which suffered losses to the tune of Rs.5,551 crore in 2009-10, in addition to the loss of Rs.7,189 crore in the previous year

ICPA general secretary Rishabh Kapoor says, "We were assured of the salary getting credited by 11 February but the management has failed to keep its works. we once again give another opportunity to sort out the issue. we have a meeting with the CMD on the 14 february but if that goes futile we will not wait even for a day."

According to  ICPA, the IA management has failed to act upon their demands on pay parity and have provoked them to take such an action.