Sixth pay salaries for KTC employees finally
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, APRIL 29
After intense pressure tactics, the labour union leaders today managed to eke out final commitment from Chief Minister Digambar Kamat to sign an agreement to pay salaries as per sixth pay commission to Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited employees.
At the end of day-long dharna by All India Trade Union Congress and KTCL employees’ union leaders, Kamat assured that the agreement to pay wages as per sixth pay commission would be signed tomorrow before labour commissioner in Panjim.
Earlier, frustrated over chief minister’s reluctance to fulfill the assurance given to upgrade salaries at par with sixth pay commission recommendations, AITUC leaders including Christopher Fonseca, Raju Mangueshkar and KTCLEU President Joaquim Fernandes held sit in protest outside CM’s official residence.
The union members who had managed to convince the state government over sixth pay commission were upset after their chairman Lourenco did a volte face.
Talking to Herald earlier this week Lourenco had refused to commit to the implementation.
The leaders insisted that they will continue the sit-in till CM gives the final assurance to sign the agreement between KTCL employees and management on pay revision.
The sit-in was withdrawn after Kamat called the protesting leaders for a dialogue in presence of transport minister Ramakrishna Dhavalikar and KTCL Chairman Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco.
KTCL Managing Director Venacio Furtado was also present for the meeting which went on for three hours before chief minister released the formal statement.
“The agreement would be signed tomorrow infront of labour commissioner,” Kamat told reporters after the meeting.
Dhavalikar said that the sixth pay commission implementation for KTCL staff would translate into additional liability of Rs 43 crore and monthly liability of Rs 1.3 crore for the corporation.
He said that the revised pay would be paid from April 1 onwards while the arrears would be paid to the workers in phases.
