MADURAI: After the state government gave the green signal to outsource 165 bus drivers for Madurai region, the TNSTC floated tenders for the same on Tuesday.
However, the move was vehemently opposed by trade unions, who argued that outsourcing drivers would put passengers at risk, and the drivers will not take responsibility for their jobs.
TNSTC employees unions oppose the government’s move and said it would curb employment opportunities for youth.
Speaking to TNIE, TNSTC employees union (affiliated with CITU) deputy president G Rajendran said that TNSTC on Tuesday released a tender for outsourcing drivers in Madurai region. A total of 165 drivers will be recruited through a manpower agency.
"It is a first that TNSTC is outsourcing drivers. As per the norms, the recruited drivers will be employed for 11 months, and their contract will be renewed once for another 11 months. Their salaries would be fixed by the manpower agency,” he said.
He further said TNSTC is hiring private buses with drivers as special buses during festival seasons. TNSTC pays Rs 51.25 per km to private players even though revenue has declined. "What is the need to outsource drivers? It puts passengers at risk because outsourced drivers would not be able to provide 100% safety to passengers or themselves," he said and urged the state government to recruit drivers on a war footing.
Speaking to TNIE, retired TNSTC employees union deputy secretary NG Mohan said permanent drivers take entire responsibility, and in case of any accident, they arrange alternative modes of transport, sometimes by stopping other passing TNSTC buses. “If it is a temporary driver, they would just try to escape the situation since TNSTC authorities will not provide any compensation to the driver, will not arrange bail, provide insurance or other benefits. Similarly, the compensation for passengers will also be reduced,” he said.
Meanwhile, an official from TNSTC said it is purely a temporary arrangement to wade through the existing situation. "The state government passed a GO on October 25 to fill 2,108 vacancies as of January 1, 2025, across the state. Of these, 2,033 are driver cum conductor vacancies, while the rest are technical staff. These vacancies will be filled through the Institute of Road Transport (IRT)," he said.