Transport unions ask DMK govt to pursue old pension scheme revival with BJP-led Centre

CHENNAI: In the wake of the new Unified Pension Scheme announced by the Centre, the trade unions in the State Transport Undertakings have sought priority to discuss the long-pending demand for the implementation of the old pension scheme and the delay in the settlement of retired employees’ terminal benefits.

Issues were raked up in the 15th wage settlement talks for the eight State Transport Undertakings which began on Tuesday with the negotiations chaired by Transport Department Additional Chief Secretary K Phanindra Reddy and managing directors of the eight STUs with the participation of 84 trade unions.

After the talks, CITU-affiliated Tamil Nadu State Transport Employees Federation general secretary K Arumuga Nainar said that it was a preliminary meeting with a discussion held about regularising the participating trade unions.

“We have sought the government to specify the date for the next round of the talks. We also wanted to talk about the long pending issues like retired employees’ denial of dearness allowance hike for the past eight years and 20 months delay in the payment of terminal benefits and pension for employees who joined after April 1, 2003,” he said.

Pointing to the Union government announcing the new unified pension scheme for the central government employees, he said that there are three to four pension schemes but the transport corporation employees who joined after April 1, 2003, are not covered under any of them. “The transport department secretary has assured to review our demands and hold the next round of talks,” he said.

DMK-affiliated LPF treasurer Natarajan said that they insisted the government extend the viability gap funding provided to the MTC to other transport corporations as well.

AIADMK’a union demanded the department to pay an interim settlement of Rs 3,600 per month for the 12-month delay in commencing the 15th wage settlement talks.