Operations of buses of the Puducherry Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) buses were affected as employees owing allegiance to the Confederation of Puducherry Government Employees Association began an indefinite strike from Tuesday evening in support of demands related to workers’ welfare and services.
Most buses stayed off the roads, except a few operated by workers affiliated to other employee federations. A section of the employees had been on fast in front of the PRTC depot for the past few days.
After the talks with Chief minister N Rangasamy failed late on Tuesday, PRTC employees became irate over this and announced an indefinite strike and stopped the plying of buses on several routes.
The employees are demanding provision of pending dearness allowance (DA), which was due on July 1 2012 and January 1 this year. However, these have not been paid till now, alleged C H Balamohanan, honorary president of the Association. The workers want at least from the current month, that DA be included in the salary. Moreover, the employees are demanding regularization of service for daily rated workers and other staff on consolidated pay.
“While the standing policies of PRTC stipulate that such temporary employees can be regularised after three years of service, it is not being adhered to now,” charged Balamohanan.
Besides the pending arrears of pay benefits of Sixth Pay Commission are yet to be provided. As the government is citing paucity of funds, the PRTC employees have suggested that government allow PRTC to operate special bus services for schools, in place of private operators, and earn revenue of Rs 5 crores. Since this involves only one trip in the morning and another in the evening, they can do it and then continue with regular services, contended Balamohanan. The workers have also sought allotment of petrol bunks to PRTC from which their buses could fill diesel instead of private petrol bunks and save Rs 11.80 per litre of diesel, said Balamohanan.
Unfortunately the PRTC Chairman is operating private buses under the special school bus scheme. Moreover, Balamohanan alleged that private operators were being favoured by officials.