The Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)-affiliated Transport Democratic Front (TDF) has deferred and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions-affiliated Kerala State Road Transport Employees Association (KSRTEA) has withdrawn the proposed indefinite strike called by them in the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) in protest against the delay in disbursing salary and pension.
The decisions followed an assurance given by Minister for Transport A.K. Saseendran during the talks held at the Secretariat here on Tuesday following the notice given by the unions for strike from Wednesday and Friday.
R. Sasidharan, working president, TDF, said his union was deferring the strike plan following the assurance that the salary arrears to those on the rolls would be cleared before December 23. The unions got an assurance that steps would be taken to disburse the six per cent Dearness Allowance (DA) announced by the previous United Democratic Front (UDF) regime and frozen by the KSRTC management in view of the severe financial crisis in the State government undertaking.
The Minister gave an assurance that the government would see to it that the management took steps to pay the monthly salary without default to the employees and that the pension arrears to the retirees were settled at the earliest.
The KSRTC has paid only 25 per cent of the two months’ pending pension to the retirees and 75 per cent of this month’s salary to the employees. In view of Christmas, the transport utility will have to pay the salary to the employees at least by Friday.
Besides Mr. Sasidharan, the TDF was represented by its president Thampanoor Ravi and vice-president R. Ayyappan. The KSRTEA was represented by its working president K.K. Divakaran, general secretary C.K. Harikrishnan, and secretary Mastan Khan.
Transport Secretary K.R. Jyothilal, KSRTC Chairman and Managing Director M.G. Rajamanickam and executive directors participated in the meeting. The Minister later held another meeting with the registered unions in KSRTC.
