THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Transport Democratic Fund (TDF), affiliated to the INTUC, has written to KSRTC CMD Tomin J Thachankary asking him not to force the employees to pay one month’s salary as part of the CM ‘salary challenge’, on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had asked all salaried workers to contribute at least a month’s salary to the CM’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). Though this month’s salary has already been disbursed to the employees on August 23, but, for the first time in 70 years, the corporation has deducted employees’ Onam festive allowances, advance and bonus.
“Each KSRTC employee has agreed to donate their festive allowances and bonus which is around `2,700 towards CMDRF. So, we have written a letter to the CMD asking not to deduct our one month salary as part of CM’s salary challenge,” said S K Mani, INTUC leader.
According to the CM’s order, this year no government employees will be provided Onam festive allowances and the allowance money will be donated to CMDRF. “As part of the government’s order the allowances were deducted. The corporation has not forced any of its employees to participate in the salary challenge. If the employees are willing to pay then KSRTC will donate it to the relief fund,” said Thachankary.
The employees are already suffering as around 24 depots have been submerged due to floods. “There are many employees in KSRTC whose families totally depend on their monthly salary. We want to help the flood victims but not every employee is capable of donating their monthly salary even within a period of 10 months. When already the workers are facing such problems reducing their salary will add up to their miseries,” said M G Rahul, AITUC general secretary.