CHENNAI: The state government has deducted the salaries of more than 80,000 workers of eight transport corporations who participated in the strike last month, much to their anguish.
The workers, including drivers, conductors, technical staff and depot assistants, saw their pay shrink by between Rs 1,500 and Rs 14,500 in their January salary drawn on Wednesday. Workers lost their pay for two to eight days, official transport sources said.
A large number of workers of eight corporations affiliated to 13 trade unions including the Labour Progressive Federation (LPF), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) went on a strike between January 4 and 11, demanding a pay hike and settlement of dues to retired transport workers.
Though initially, workers of the Anna Thozhilar Peravai (ATP) union affiliated to the AIADMK participated in the strike, they returned to work within two to three days. These staff lost Rs 1,500-Rs 2,000 from their salaries. Workers from the 13 other transport unions, meanwhile, saw their pay fall by Rs 5,500 to Rs 14,500.
K Natarajan, Treasurer, LPF, said the unions would meet on Thursday to decide the next course of action.
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