CHENNAI: The tussle between MTC employees of Tondiarpet (2) depot and depot manager has reached the State Labour Commissionerate. While employees say they are facing harassment, the manager claims he is being targeted for taking strict action against erring workers.
Employees allege there are many irregularities in marking attendance by the branch manager. Because of this many have not got their day’s salary, claim employees. Employees said six months ago they had raised a complaint about this with the managing director. As they received no response, they took the matter to Netaji Transport Workers Union, through which a complaint was lodged with the labour commission.
Employees claim when they fall sick during duty and submit necessary medical documents to avail themselves of leave, they are marked absent. G Lenin’s case is one such example, they say. A conductor who works at Tondiarpet depot (2), Lenin said he has not been given salary for 52 days. “I developed severe back pain and the doctor said I needed bed rest for 10 days. On all the days I did not come I had been marked absent. Though I submitted all medical records, the manager said he did not receive any,” said Lenin, union general secretary.
On the other hand, R Pazhanikumar, branch manager, denied the allegations and said many employees do not report for duty regularly. “Because I take strict action against erring employees, a section has falsely made up this case to the labour commission. Many drivers and conductors indulge in other side businesses. So, most of the time they do not report for duty. Some even get false medical certificates to get salary. This is a ploy only to undermine my action against them,” he said.
Moreover, currently only 54 buses operate from this depot but a year ago there were 71. As a result, the number of trips have come down. Because of this, drivers and conductors do not have enough bus trips to go on. As they are not assigned other routes, they are marked absent, though they report for duty, claim employees.
“A total of 30 buses used to ply through 44 and 44C bus routes. But now only 14 buses are operated. Buses like 8C and 57E do not operate at all. Passengers are also affected. Share autos or other buses do not ply on 44C route. Many are dependent only on this bus,” said Muthukrishnan T, a bus driver.
An official from MTC said the management was not aware of the problem and will look into it. Though repeated attempts were made to contact G Ganesan, MTC managing director, he could not be reached for comments.