CHENNAI: After multiple negotiations with employees' unions, TN government on Wednesday agreed to provide a 5% increment to transport department workers during the 14th wage revision talks held at here on Wednesday. The agreement comes into effect on September 1, 2019 retrospectively, and ends on August 31, 2023 or till it is cancelled as per provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act 1947.
The State government also increased the gap between wage revisions from three years to four, drawing flak from many trade unions. When, however, transport minister SS Sivashankar refused to revert the decision, representatives of several trade unions, including CITU, Anna Thozhil Sangam (AIADMK), and AITUC, walked out without signing the agreement.
After the wage revision talks with representatives of all the 66 registered trade unions and state-owned public undertakings, Sivashankar told reporters that the new 5% hike would be provided to employees based on their basic salary as of August 31, 2019. "Though an interim relief of Rs 1,000 a month has been provided to the employees from January 1, 2021, the arrears will be provided from January to July this year."
Additional incentives would be doubled for the drivers and conductors of ordinary buses, on which women passengers are allowed free rides. Besides, accepting trade unions' demands, washing, risk, and shift allowances have also been increased.
The minister promised to implement the standing order guidelines in all transport corporations uniformly. Family benefit fund would be increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh and a special wage of Rs 300 a day for working during the pandemic would be given.
Similarly, tailoring wages for uniforms would be increased from Rs 300 to Rs 400 a year for male workers; from Rs 250 to Rs 300 for female workers; and from Rs 300 to Rs 400 for supervisors. He also said disciplinary action against those who participated in the 21-day strike would be cancelled, he said.
CITU state president S Soundrarajan told TNIE that the arrears should be provided from September 1, 2019, to August 2022 (36 months). The government, however agreed to provide arrears only for the seven months between from January and July this year. He also claimed that despite regularising the strike period (21 days), the government refused to give salary for these days. "That's why most of the unions didn't sign the agreement." "During the talks, we asked the minister to provide pending benefits to pensioners. But he did not care about it. So, we have decided to stage a protest against the wage agreement across TN on Thursday, "he said.
Four-year agreement
The wage revision settlement for transport department workers had been made once in three years from 1977. During the AIADMK regime led by former chief minister the late J Jayalalitha in 2003, the period was changed to five years. After assuming office in 2006, the then chief minister the late M Karunanidhi modified the settlement period to three years. Now, it has been altered for four years by the current government led by MK Stalin.
How much will employees get additionally through 5% increment?
Through the 5% increment, a driver can get between Rs 2,012 and Rs 7,981 additionally based on his experience, a conductor between Rs 1,965 and Rs 6,640, technical staff between Rs 2,096 and 9,329, office staff between Rs 1,965 and Rs 6,640, technical supervisor between Rs 4,585 to Rs 8,476, and ticket checker between `4,692 and `7,916.