Trade unions oppose the driver cum conductor appointments
The transport department has issued an order dated July 21 to appoint 812 driver cum conductors in five state transport undertakings except SETC, MTC and TNSTC Villupuram.
Representative Image
CHENNAI: Transport corporation unions have strongly opposed the move to appoint drivers cum conductors in the place of conductors saying that it would endanger the lives of the passengers.
CITU-affiliated Tamil Nadu State Transport Employees Federation general secretary K Arumuga Nainar opposed the state government order to appoint the driver cum conductors in place of the conductor vacancies as both the driver and conductor jobs are unique in nature. "The role of a conductor is not merely issuance of ticket to passengers. The conductor has to ensure the safe travel of passengers jointly with the driver, " he said.
The transport department has issued an order dated July 21 to appoint 812 driver cum conductors in five state transport undertakings except SETC, MTC and TNSTC Villupuram.
The transport department has decided to recruit driver cum conductors (DCC) in place of the conductor vacancies to provide flexibility in the operation of the buses. It added the DCC is one such flexibility-based manpower model for operating buses since they qualify in both roles of driver and conductor.
Nainar said that the decision to appoint the DCC was taken without studying the pros and cons by the bureaucrats and it would create a bad name for the state government. He said the education qualification for the driver post was a mere eight standard pass along with a valid driving license. "Due to the driver cum conductor appointment, the educaiton qualification would be SSLC. Hence, those with less than SSLC qualification would not get a job in the transport corporation. The poor and backward community people would be denied a government job and it is against social justice, " he said.
He also pointed out that allowing only filling up of 50 per cent of vacancies as of July last year would not help operate all the buses. "More vacancies have been created due to retirement subsequently, " he noted.
Another transport trade union leader pointed out that through the decision to appoint the driver cum conductor posts, the transport corporation would be able to override the Madras High Court order which directed all the appointments through the TNPSC. "TNPSC has offered to help in the recruitment of conductors and technical staff. But the driver's post would be continued to be done through direct recruitment by the corporations, " the union leader said.
