The implementation of the much-awaited revival package for the ailing Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has hit another hurdle with trade unions opposing many of the proposals.
The trade unions oppose many of the proposals in the package, especially the one to reduce the staff strength of the Corporation.
While the package suggests one driver, one conductor method, by deploying driver-cum-conductor for long distant trips as in many other states, the trade unions have come out against this.
‘’In that case, the drivers won’t get proper rest. The package also recommends that the employees should be made to work for more hours by paying them for the extra time. It can’t be practical considering the nature of the work the KSRTC employees do. It is also against the labour laws,’’ say trade unions leaders.
The objection towards expansion of services in the package is another suggestion on which the trade unions disagree.
“The share of the state utility in the total public road transport sector in the state is just 27 per cent, which should be raised at least by 15 per cent. Without expanding its services to more routes, the Corporation won’t be able to overcome its fund crunch.
At present, private bus operators have dominance in many bus routes which are still to be explored by the KSRTC. It is true that there are some services which can’t be stopped though they are not economically viable. But that loss could be covered by operating more services along profitable routes which are now dominated by private bus operators,’’ said Kerala State Road Transport Employees’ Association state working president K K Divakaran.
The trade unions also urged the government to buy buses for the Corporation as done by its counterparts in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
‘’The Corporation should also opt for loans which have more repayment period so that the rate of interest could be reduced,’’ the TU leaders said. The unions also claim that the summary of the revival package has not yet been given to them.
They alleged that no concrete talks regarding the package were held with the unions and a serious discussion was held between the Corporation and the government only once.
The discussion on the implementation of the revival package in Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has been reaching nowhere owing to the difficulty in making the pension scheme acceptable to trade unions.
Though a discussion on implementing the package was held the other day, it was not successful.
Minister for Transport Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, so far, couldn’t present a clear form of the package in the Cabinet owing to the disagreement over the pension scheme.
The Corporation has now presented a pension scheme suggesting government’s participation for the first 12 years and participation of the SBT for the rest of the years, excluding the government. The idea is that the government will provide Rs 20 crore per month for this and continue it for 12 years. After this, the government can quit from the scheme by handing over the responsibility to SBT. But it is learnt the employees’ trade unions have not taken a positive stand on this.
New Indian Express
