BENGALURU: The ongoing tussle between the employees and management of BMRCL has now reached a new low. While employees continue their efforts to mobilise public support by distributing pamphlets about the March 22 strike outside Metro stations after duty hours or using friends to do it, a tech-savvy section is now taking to online media to mobilise support. BMRCL management has warned them of disciplinary action in case they slander the organisation in a public domain.
It is now turning out to be a case of washing dirty linen in public on the part of employees. Using in-house information, employees have put out salary details of all the top management so as to justify a pay hike for themselves. Twitter accounts keep urging public to support their movement with the CM, Railway Minister and even the Prime Minister being tagged.
One ex-employee, Vijaykumar Dhannur, whose profile shows he is still on BMRCL payrolls, is particularly aggressive and keeps posting material against the management. He confirmed to Express that he was no longer part of BMRCL. Dhannur states that promotions were not given for the last 8 years. "They get least salary compared to other Metros. Very horrible. Is it because they are Kannadigas?" he says. All press releases, documents leaked by employees keep appearing non-stop on his Facebook post urging public to support the strike. Newspaper clippings, TV bytes by Union members are also posted.
A few Twitter accounts with the hashtags #SaveNammaMetro and #SaveNammaMetroemployees too have been created to further the cause. Alarmist warnings to public saying untrained operators will be running trains putting public safety at risk and urging them not to use Metro are also being put up.
A tweet by Mani Ajith stating, "I support Metro staff and wish them all the best" has been retweeted 53 times and liked 59 times since it was put up on March 14.
Asked about these online posts, a top BMRCL official said that this kind of behaviour goes against the Industrial Disputes Act and employees have no right to indulge in such acts. Fake accounts are being used to post such material, he said. A reliable source said, "Employees have been warned of possible suspension or other disciplinary action for their posts against the management."