MTC MD seeks cooperation of workers to operate 100 per cent of the buses
He also listed out various initiatives taken by him to resolve long pending issues.
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CHENNAI: Amid trade unions' threat to strike work over unfulfilled demands, MTC MD Alby John Varghese thanked the workers and trade unions cooperation for the operation of 2,961 buses on December 23, 2023, as against the operation of 2,491 buses in December 2022.
He also listed out various initiatives taken by him to resolve long pending issues.
MTC has a fleet strength of 3,436 buses and a scheduled service of 3,233 buses daily. However, due to a shortage of crew members and absenteeism, the corporation was unable to operate all its scheduled services.
"However, in this new year, considering 32.66 lakh passengers travelling in our corporation buses daily, I request all the workers to realise this and support the management to operate 100 per cent of the buses safely and without any accidents and without causing any single loss, " he wrote in the letter extending his New Year greeting to the workers.
Varghese said that he was taking various actions for the workers' welfare on the direction of the chief minister, transport minister and transport department secretary and suggestions from the trade unions considering the role of workers in the corporation's growth and development.
"As a first step, the extra duty wages for the driver has been increased to Rs 800 and Rs 790 for the conductor, " he said.
The long pending dearness allowance backlog of Rs 5.14 crore (for five months in 2018) and additional supplementary wage list backlog of Rs 1.98 crore to 2002 workers were given this week, he said. He added that family welfare funds of Rs 7.12 crore were paid to 243 deceased workers' families which was pending since 2016.
He said that workers could call 9445049057 to resolve their grievances during office working hours from 10 am to 5.45 pm. Employees Grievances Day would be held in all the depots on the first Friday of every month.
"I have planned to monitor it directly and take action, " he said.
CITU-affiliated Arasanga Pokkuvarathu Uzhiyar Sangam general secretary V Dhayanantham said that based on the outcome of the conciliation meeting in the presence of the joint labour commissioner on Wednesday, they would decide on the strike. "So far the Transport minister or the transport department officials did not hold any talks with the unions, " he said.