Finally, salary arrears given to transport staff

This move comes after the transport unions served a 14-day strike notice to the Labour and Transport departments on June 5, pressing for several of their demands, including speedy disbursal of arrears.

Following the eight-day bus strike staged by transport workers over wage revision last January, the Madras High Court accepted the government’s wage revision of 2.44 times as against the 2.54 hike demanded by transport unions. The court then ordered the government to disburse arrears at 2.44 times for four months from December 2017 to March 2018.

“Even after the court’s direction, the Transport department turned a deaf ear by not settling arrears. This led transport workers to run from pillar to post. Hence, we served a striking notice on June 5,” said K Natarajan, treasurer, the DMK-affiliated Labour Progressive Federation (LPF).

Representatives of various unions were called for talks by Labour and Transport departments a few days ago, wherein the immediate disbursal of arrears was stressed, Natarajan stated.

As other issues like disbursing arrears to the retired staff and stopping the harassment of workers, who participated in the strike, remain unresolved, the Labour department has called for another round of talks on July 12, he added.

Meanwhile, transport workers expressed happiness after receiving their arrears. “Ever since the court’s direction, I have regularly been checking my bank account to check whether the amount had been credited. Now, I am happy,” said an MTC staff, on condition of anonymity.

When contacted, PWC Davidar, Additional Chief Secretary (Transport), told DT Next, “We have gradually been fulfilling the demands of transport workers. We will continue to do so in the future.”