A ministerial-level talk held with employees’ unions in the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) on Wednesday averted a major crisis in the public utility with the government agreeing to most of the demands put forth by the employees.
The meeting attended by Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal, Transport Minister Antony Raju, and Labour Minister V. Sivankutty assured the employees that their salary for the month of July would be given in single instalment before Onam.
Speaking to mediapersons after the meeting, Mr. Balagopal announced that the salary arrears of KSRTC employees would be distributed by August 22. The funds required for the distribution of the first instalment of the salary had been sanctioned. But the meeting agreed to the demand of the union representatives that the salary should be paid in one go. He also hoped that the KSRTC would change itself to a situation of meeting its expenses by enhancing revenue.
Mr. Raju said since the Onam allowance was not given last year, the management had been directed to give the allowance as much as possible this year. Appropriate decisions would be taken by the management, he said.
The Minister added that steps were being taken to operate buses as much as possible during the Onam season. Around 1,200-odd buses were lying idle for various reasons.
In the wake of demands being accepted by the government, the unions should withdraw the protest, including the strike, announced earlier, said Mr. Sivankutty.
Apart from the Ministers, KSRTC Chairman and Managing Director Biju Prabhakar, trade union representatives, and officials attended the meeting held at the Government Guest House here.
Last year, the management’s decision to provide one-third of the pending salary as cash and two-third of salary and festival allowances as vouchers/coupons, which could be redeemed at select government outlets, had courted controversy.
Ahead of Onam this year, the employees’ unions affiliated to the Indian National Trade Union Congress and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions announced a strike on August 26, while the union affiliated to the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh took out a march to the Secretariat on Wednesday.
Employees under the All India Trade Union Congress had also announced a march to the office of the CMD on August 24.
