FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2024
Team Herald
In spite of numerous representations and prolonged discussions, the longstanding issues between the Government of Goa and the Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) remain unresolved. Despite a joint meeting convened by the Labour Commissioner and Conciliation Officer on January 27, 2023, no positive decision has been reached.
Following several demands and the issuance of a "Strike Notice" by the workers' union, the Labour Commissioner proposed a meeting on January 6, 2023. Subsequently, a joint meeting was held on January 19, 2023, with the intervention of the Commissioner, Government of Goa. During this meeting, the management of KTCL assured resolution of the issues raised by the workers' union.
However, as of now, the management has not taken any concrete steps to address the pending demands, leading to dissatisfaction among the KTCL workers and staff. In response to the lack of progress, the employees have decided to initiate an indefinite protest agitation to draw attention to their grievances.
The key demands of the protesting workers include:
Signing the Wage Settlement with KTC Drivers & Allied Employees Association (AITUC) and clearing the arrears of the Pay Commission for the past 34 months for all KTCL workers and staff employees on a priority basis.
Immediate procurement of 250 new buses to replace those declared as 'scrap.' Around 80 buses have been designated as scrap, and an additional 104 buses from various depots are set to be scrapped. The workers emphasize the need for proper planning and budgetary allocation to maintain an operational fleet of buses.
The protest aims to garner support for these demands, highlighting the workers' concerns about the insufficient number of buses and the overall inadequacy in addressing their long-standing issues by the KTCL management and the Government of Goa.
