Thursday, February 2 2006 16:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Recognizing that striking workers of Airports Authority of India (AAI) may have genuine grievances against modernization of Delhi and Mumbai airports by private players, the Government today (Feb 2,2006) fears could be allayed through dialogue and it must be ensured that they do not lose jobs.

"The striking workers may have genuine grievances. They are not agitating just like that," Minister of State for Labour Chandra Sekhar Sahu told reporters after assuming the charge of his new office.

It must be ensured that AAI workers do not lose jobs, he said adding their fears in this regard could be removed through dialogue process.

To a query whether the workers would be invited for talks, he said any decision in this regard would be taken after Cabinet Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao returns to Delhi.

At the same time he maintained that modernisation of airports could not be avoided.

The AAI workers have been on indefinite strike since yesterday(Feb 1, 2006).